Denzel Washington says there are "very few" movies left he wants to make

Denzel Washington has made a hell of a lot of movies since he first came onto the scene back in the '70s. He's been The Equalizer. He's been Macbeth. He even took an early trip to Ancient Rome in 1979 for the New York Shakespeare Festival's performance of Coriolanus. He's more than earned the right to be choosy with his projects, a privilege he told Empire he exercised in choosing to make a return trip to the Colosseum for Ridley Scott's Gladiator II, out in theaters this fall.

"There are very few films left for me to make that I’m interested in, and I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley," Washington told the outlet for a special Gladiator II-themed issue. "We had a great go-round the first go-round… and here we are." Washington previously worked with Scott on 2007's American Gangster, in which he played mob boss Frank Lucas. The actor also had a long history with Ridley Scott's late brother, prolific director Tony Scott. The two collaborated on films like Man On Fire, Crimson Tide, Déjà Vu, and Unstoppable.

"I don’t compare directors," the actor said when asked about working with the brothers. "You see the different personalities. I suppose they do [have similarities]. On the days when we’re shooting, I’m busy with what I’m doing. So I’m not comparing this one to that one, but obviously both are great filmmakers. They can’t miss."

Even though Washington has gotten pickier about what he'll sign his name to, he has no regrets about putting his faith in Ridley Scott. "He’s engaged. He’s excited about life and his next film. He’s an inspiration. We should all want to feel like that at 86," he also told the outlet. Plus, he's shown the kind of enthusiasm for this movie even an actor as accomplished as himself would have a hard time trying to fake. "I think this is the biggest film I've been on. They built the Colosseum!" he gushed in a promo video (below). "It's a ride. It's a spectacle. Everywhere you turn, you feel like you're in that world. And I love that." 

“I think this is the biggest film I’ve been on.” - Denzel Washington #GladiatorII pic.twitter.com/guL6JkeDn5

— Gladiator Movie (@GladiatorMovie) July 30, 2024

Gladiator II also stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Joseph Quinn. It charges into theaters November 22.