With the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike now over, Denzel Washington has been cast as Hannibal in Antoine Fuqua’s new Netflix movie.
Per Deadline, Washington has been tapped to play Hannibal — not to be confused with Hannibal Lecter, but rather the Carthaginian general Hannibal who battled the Roman Republic — in a new, still untitled movie that Fuqua is making for Netflix.
What else do we know about Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua’s Hannibal movie?
The upcoming movie is being written by John Logan, who previously co-penned 2000’s Gladiator, 2003’s The Last Samurai, and 2012’s Skyfall, among other titles. Fuqua and Washington are both producing the movie with Erik Olsen and Adam Goldworm, while Jeremy Lott and Frank Moll serve as executive producers.
According to Deadline, the film will depict “pivotal battles [Hannibal] led against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War.” Further plot details remain under wraps at this time.
Washington and Fuqua have worked together on a number of projects before. The two first teamed up for 2001’s Training Day, which was written by David Ayer and also starred Ethan Hawke. In 2014, Fuqua and Washington also made The Equalizer, which went on to spawn two sequels, 2018’s The Equalizer 2 and 2023’s The Equalizer 3. Additionally, Washington also starred in Fuqua’s 2016 The Magnificent Seven remake alongside Hawke, Chris Pratt, and Vincent D’Onofrio.
Along with the Fuqua film, Washington is also starring in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel, which is currently scheduled to release in November 2024. Joining Washington in Gladiator 2 are Paul Mescal, Connie Nielsen, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, and Pedro Pascal.
Fuqua, meanwhile, is also working on a biographical film about Michael Jackson titled Michael. The movie will see Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, portray the iconic King of Pop.
