Denzel Washington to Star as Hannibal in Period Epic

Netflix is backing the new movie, which will follow the Carthaginian general who waged war against the Roman Empire.

Director Antoine Fuqua and Denzel Washington on the set of 'The Equalizer 3.' Photo by: Stefano Cristiiano Montesi.

Preview:

Denzel Washington is attached to star in a new film about Hannibal.
It’ll see him re-team with ‘Equalizer’ director Antoine Fuqua.
Netflix is behind the new movie.

With the SAG-AFTRA strike now over (at least pending a vote of the membership), various companies are looking to attach actors to new projects and start generating some buzz around them.

One example is Netflix, which has a new historical epic in the works about Carthaginian general Hannibal, and the streaming service has Denzel Washington in line to star.

Per Deadline, the new movie would mark a reunion for the actor with director Antoine Fuqua, the two used to collaborating on various projects.

What Would the New Hannibal Movie Cover?

Denzel Washington in 'The Equalizer 3.' Photo: Stefano Montesi.

For those who don’t know the history, Hannibal came over the Alps and attacked Rome from the North, at the time posing the greatest threat to the republic. He was a skilled military tactician who led the troops in what is now Tunisia, not far from Sicily.

His victories during the Second Punic War are legend, and this version of the film will follow the pivotal battles Hannibal led against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War.

Hannibal: A History in Development

Denzel Washington stars as Robert McCall in Columbia Pictures 'The Equalizer 3.' Photo by: Stefano Montesi.

This is actually not the first time that Washington has been linked to a Hannibal project. Back in 2002, inspired by the success of ‘Gladiator’, 20th Century Fox (as it was then named) developed a Hannibal film and looked to attach Washington to play the famous leader.

At the time, Washington passed on the idea, since it would’ve meant too much time away from his family. But now, with his kids (including actor John David Washington), well established in life, he’s free to spend his time riding elephants and battling Romans.

He may still have competition though –– Vin Diesel has long been obsessed with Hannibal and has wanted to develop a movie about him to star in for almost as long.

Netflix’s version has John Logan –– who wrote ‘Gladiator’ –– aboard to craft the script, so it’s clear the company is looking to go all in on this one. And talking of that Ridley Scott-directed historical epic, Washington is heading back to work on the sequel, which Scott was busy making before the strike hit. ‘Gladiator 2’, depending on how quickly it can be finished, may still arrive in 2024.

What Have Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua Worked on Together?

(L to R) Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua and on the set of 'The Equalizer 3.' Photo: Stefano Cristiiano Montesi.

If it all comes to pass, the Hannibal film will mark the sixth time that Washington and Fuqua have collaborated.

They previously teamed for 2001’s ‘Training Day’, for which Washington won a Lead Actor Oscar. That was followed by the first ‘Equalizer’ movie in 2014 and then 2016’s Western remake ‘The Magnificent Seven’.

More recently, they brought us ‘The Equalizer 2’ (2018) and this year’s ‘The Equalizer 3’.