Summary
Speaking atSan Diego Comic-Con, Antoine Fuqua recalls losing out on directingAmerican Gangster. Released in 2007,American Gangsteris a crime film about a New York City police officer who is trying to take down adrug lord named Frank Lucas. He is played by Denzel Washington in the film opposite Russell Crowe’s Richie Roberts.American Gangster’s supporting cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, Lymari Nadal, Ted Levine, RZA, and John Hawkes.
Speaking onCollider’s Directors on Directing panelat SDCC, Fuqua discusses losing out onAmerican Gangster. According to the director, he was mere weeks away from starting when the"film fell apart because of financing.“Prior to this, Fuqua had cast Washington and Benicio del Toro, and planned for a different title. However, outside circumstances got in the way, and Ridley Scott directed the movie instead. Check out Fuqua’s full quote below:
I was actually fully prepped for American Gangster. I was just a couple of weeks away from filming American Gangster. In fact, I’m the one who called it American Gangster. It used to be called Blue-something, and I got Denzel [Washington] involved and changed it to American Gangster. That film fell apart because of financing. At the time, Universal couldn’t come to an understanding of the budget or cast. I cast police Benicio del Toro alongside Denzel, which is what I wanted it to be. Benicio and Denzel. At the time, Universal had other clients. When that fell apart, that broke my heart.That movie still breaks my heart.I prepped that whole movie and prepared to shoot in a couple of weeks. Then Ridley Scott made it, so you may’t complain. It is what it is. That’s Hollywood.
How Was American Gangster Received?
American Gangster Was A Success
From the way Fuqua describes the film,American Gangsterwould have looked somewhat differentunder his direction. While Washington still took the lead role in the final film, Crowe’s character would have been swapped out for del Toro, making a different dynamic between the two lead roles.If directed by Fuqua,American Gangsterwould also have continued the close director-actor relationship between Fuqua and Washington, which began in 2001 withTraining Day.
Every Denzel Washington & Antoine Fuqua Movie Ranked
Washington and Fuqua have collaborated on five movies together, and the quality of these collaborations makes them one of the best Hollywood duos.
That said,Scott was a much more established directorwhenAmerican Gangsterwas being made. Scott’s pre-2007 filmography included films such asAlien,Blade Runner, andGladiator, all of which were well-regarded at the time and have had a lasting impact.American Gangsteralso fared well critically, getting a Certified Fresh 81% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes as well as a 90% among audiences. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actress for Ruby Dee and Best Achievement in Art Direction.
Antoine Fuqua and Denzel Washington’s Relationship Explained
Fuqua’s Relationship With Washington Continued Without American Gangster
Arguably,Fuqua and Washington’s most well-regarded work wasTraining Day, which was their first collaboration.Training Dayearned Washington his second Oscar, for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and also received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Ethan Hawke.Training Daywas well-reviewed, receiving a 74% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and helped put Fuqua on the map in film after he had spent years in the music video sector.
Ethan Hawke lost the Best Supporting Actor Oscar that year to Jim Broadbent inIris.
Though Fuqua did not get the chance to direct Washington inAmerican Gangster,the pair went on to make several more movies together. This includedThe EqualizermoviesandThe Magnificent Seven, all of which have become significant aspects of the careers of both talents. A Fuqua and Washington collaboration onAmerican Gangsterwould have been a welcome treat, but at least missing out on that did not significantly impact either’s trajectory.
The reception of the Fuqua-Washington collaborations has been mixed overall.The Equalizerseries is a great example of this: The highest-rated film in the series (The Equalizer 3) holds a Certified Fresh 76% score, while the lowest-rated (The Equalizer 2) has a much more mixed rating at 52%. Still,The Equalizerand its sequels are regarded asstellar examples of work within the neo-noir genre, and are seen as stylistically fascinating.The Magnificent Seven’s reviews were also mixed, with the film sitting at a 64% Tomatometer.
What Has Ridley Scott Been Up To Since American Gangster?
The Director Takes On Gladiator 2 This Year, Reuniting With Denzel Washington
Unlike would-beAmerican Gangsterdirector Fuqua, Scott did not go on to be a frequent collaborator with Washington. After the 2007 film, the powerhouse director went on to helmAlienfranchise filmsPrometheusandAlien: Covenant.He worked with Matt Damon on films such asThe MartianandThe Last Duel, and took on a historical epic film with last year’sNapoleon, which was nominated for Oscars for Visual Effects, Production Design, and Costume Design.
This year marks an excitingreunion for Washington and Scottafter over a decade. The two will work together again on the upcoming sequelGladiator 2, which is set for release on November 22.Washington is slated to play Macrinus inGladiator 2, who is a ruthless arms dealer in the film. Coming together after 17 years, the anticipated sequel should be a great way for Scott and Washington to reignite their director-actor relationship that began withAmerican Gangster.
American Gangster
Cast
American Gangster is a 2007 crime film directed by Ridley Scott, featuring Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin in Harlem, and Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts, the detective determined to bring him down. The film explores the rise of Lucas in the drug trade and the eventual intersection of their lives amidst the backdrop of a corrupt and morally complex society.
