Equalizer 3's Crew Members Set The Film On Fire With A Major Drug Bust

The announcement of "The Equalizer 3" was one of the biggest surprises of 2022. What started as a hit spy TV series in the 80s has blossomed into a franchise of its own. In 2014, Sony Pictures rebooted the show into a movie, with Hollywood legend Denzel Washington in the lead role and "Training Day" director Antoine Fuqua behind the camera. The first film was successful, landing a solid 60% on Rotten Tomatoes with an equally high audience score. "The Equalizer 2" hit theaters in 2018 and saw similar success as the first.

Things get a bit confusing after the sequel's release. CBS rebooted the concept again, returning to the original roots and making a TV show. In 2021, "The Equalizer" show premieres, starring Queen Latifah in the titular role. The release of the CBS show made it seem like the film series had reached its end, even though Fuqua expressed interest in a potential trilogy.

"The Equalizer" franchise got a bit more muddled when Black Film and TV revealed that a third movie was in the works, with shooting to begin later this year. Washington signed on to reprise his role, and Dakota Fanning joined the film, spawning a mini "Man on Fire" reunion with the two actors.

Production on "The Equalizer 3" got started last month in Italy's Amalfi Coast, but a new report reveals they may have a slight hiccup in the form of a massive drug bust.

The report of the massive drug bust comes from the Italian newspaper Il Giornale. They reported that the head of the film's catering service had a sudden heart attack, dying on Monday. After the police arrived, they found small packages of cocaine throughout the man's clothes, prompting a full investigation into his death (via Variety).

The Italian police's search for the drugs led them to the Maiori resort, which the catering company used to house their employees during the production of "The Equalizer 3." The police raided multiple hotel rooms, finding 120 grams of cocaine on the premises. They placed two catering team members under house arrest and charged them with drug dealing. They found small amounts of cocaine on another employee, whose driver's license they revoked.

It seems that the police are trying to figure out how the catering team members were able to bring large amounts of cocaine into the city as they searched a nearby port.

It's unclear how or if this drug bust will affect the production of "The Equalizer 3." Garbo Produzioni, the company responsible for the film's production services, had no comments on the events. None of the main cast and crew, including Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, and director Antoine Fuqua were involved in the incident.

"The Equalizer 3" will release in theaters on September 1, 2023.