Antoine Fuqua’s 2014 American vigilante action movie The Equalizer is partially based on the same-titled TV show from the 1980s. Starring in the starring role alongside Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour, Bill Pullman, and Melissa Leo, the script was written by Richard Wenk. In order to save a juvenile prostitute from Russian mafia guys, a former U.S. Marine turned DIA intelligence officer reluctantly goes back into action in the movie. In June 2013, principal photography started in Massachusetts.

The Equalizer had its world premiere at 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2014, and was released worldwide on September 26, 2014, in conventional and IMAX theaters. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the visual style, direction, acting, soundtrack, and action sequences but criticized its depictions of violence and plot. Nonetheless, it became a commercial success with a worldwide gross of over $192 million on a production budget of $55–73 million.

A sequel was released on July 20, 2018, with Denzel Washington, Richard Wenk, and Antoine Fuqua returning. A third film is in the works with Washington reprising his role and Fuqua returning to direct