Is CBS' Equalizer Show Connected To Denzel Washington's Hit Movies?

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Since CBS’s The Equalizer shares its title with the hit Denzel Washington franchise of the same name, viewers naturally wonder whether the movies and the show share a fictional universe. Denzel Washington’s The Equalizer movies are very popular, but they are not the only screen incarnation of the series that is currently impressing viewers. The Equalizer season 5 stars Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall, a mysterious “Equalizer” who can be relied on to help out those in need with her set of special skills. The TV show is lighter than the movies, but it has proven equally popular.

Where To Watch The Equalizer Trilogy

Here is where to watch The Equalizer trilogy at home, including 2023's The Equalizer 3 and rental options for all three Robert McCall films.

Since The Equalizer 3’s ending left the movie franchise’s future up in the air, viewers might reasonably wonder whether Denzel Washington’s Robert McCall could show up in the CBS series. Washington may reprise his role in the show, but this would be tricky for one major reason. Both CBS’s The Equalizer and the movie series of the same name are based on co-creators Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim’s original spy TV series from the ‘80s. The Equalizer starred Edward Woodward as the original Robert McCall, decades before Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington made the role their own.

Despite sharing the same title and source material, The Equalizer movies and CBS’s The Equalizer don't take place in a shared universe. Robyn McCall and the movie franchise’s Robert McCall exist independently of each other, which allows both projects to have their own unique tones but doesn't bode well for a crossover. CBS’s The Equalizer fared better with critics than Washington’s movies according to the average Rotten Tomatoes scores of both franchises, but Washington’s franchise is a blockbuster success. As such, a crossover has a lot of potential, but it is still sadly unlikely to happen any time soon.

CBS’s The Equalizer is more like the original '80s series than Washington’s more grounded, bloodier movie franchise.

The main reason for this is the difference in tone between CBS’s The Equalizer and The Equalizer movies. While CBS’s show is hardly high camp, it is lighter than Washington's gritty, violent revenge thrillers. Although it takes itself seriously, CBS’s The Equalizer is more like the original '80s series than Washington’s more grounded, bloodier movie franchise. This, combined with Washington’s historic aversion to small-screen roles, puts the kibosh on hopes of a CBS cameo from Robert McCall. Whether or not The Equalizer 4 happens, Washington returning to play the character on the CBS TV series seems unlikely at this stage.

Both Equalizer TV Series & Movies Are Based On The Same Source Material

The Equalizer TV Show From The ‘80s Inspired Both Remakes

Both CBS’s The Equalizer and the movie franchise are based on the same ‘80s TV series, although they also differ significantly from the spy show. Like a lot of ‘80s TV, The Equalizer had a cheesy tone that was more akin to Magnum P.I., Remington Steele, or The A-Team than the comparatively self-serious CBS series. The show was also never as dark or grounded as Washington's movies, which feature much more swearing, violence, and adult content than the largely family-friendly series. However, the bare-bones premise of The Equalizer franchise was still set up by this cornier original TV show.