According to Denzel Washington, one of the well-chosen projects on his slate is the upcoming Black Panther movie.
Amid the ongoing Gladiator II press frenzy, the two-time Oscar winner was asked on Australia’s Today Show if he felt any “trepidation or pressure” about starring in Ridley Scott’s Paul Mescal-led sequel, which is all but certain to be a box office smash. Washington, predictably, felt nothing of the sort. Rather, adopting the persona of Macrinus is merely a component of a broader plan to only collaborate with those he deems to be “the best” of the genre.
As seen in the video below, Washington stated, “For me, it’s about the filmmaker, especially at this point in my career.” “I only want to collaborate with the greatest. I’m not sure how many more movies I’ll make, but it probably won’t be many. I want to take on new challenges.
Washington, 69, elaborated on this goal by implying that he would eventually retire after finishing a number of projects he has planned, such as two more performances of Othello, a role he played in his early twenties.
“I’ve played Othello at 22. I’m about to play Othello at 70,” Washington told the Today team. “After that, I’m playing Hannibal. After that, I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that, Ryan Coogler’s writing a part for me in the next Black Panther. After that, I’m gonna do the film Othello. After that, I’m gonna do King Lear. After that, I’m gonna retire.”
