Denzel Washington Casually Reveals He's Going To Retire—But Has Good News For Marvel Fans

Acclaimed thespian Denzel Washington teased a list of some exciting projects he has lined up before he possibly takes his final bow from Hollywood.

The 69-year-old Academy Award and Tony winner is currently promoting his upcoming film, Gladiator II, Ridley Scott's sequel to his 2000 epic historical drama Gladiator.

He stopped by Australia's Today show to share what he has lined up next, and one role being written for him in a huge franchise has fans thrilled.

When host Richard Wilkins asked if Washington had any trepidation or pressure being a part of the sequel to the five-time Oscar-winning Gladiator, Washington replied without hesitation:

"No. For me it's about the filmmaker, especially at this point in my career."

He was not shy about being more selective about choosing roles in various projects.

Washington continued:

"I'm only interested in working with the best. I don't know how many more films I'm gonna make–probably not that many. I wanna do things I haven't done."

"I played Othello at 22, I'm about to play Othello when I'm 70," he said.

"After that I'm playing Hannibal. After that, I've been talking with Steve McQueen about a film."

He also mentioned that Marvel filmmaker Ryan Coogler was writing a special role for him in a new Black Panther sequel.

Washington wasn't finished with his list.

"After that, I'm going to do the film Othello. After that, I'm going to do King Lear," he said, and causally mentioned:

"After that, I'm going to retire."

You can watch a clip of the interview, here.

Fans of the Training Day actor couldn't be more thrilled about Washington being a part of the MCU, in a Black Panther movie, no less.

Washington's introduction into the Black Panther franchise is especially poignant and a full circle moment given that he helped late actor Chadwick Boseman, who played the titular Marvel character, early in his budding career.

A year before Boseman tragically died in 2020 at 43 from colon cancer, he honored Washington in a speech when Washington was announced as the recipient of the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.

In his speech, Boseman said Washington helped pay for his tuition at the British American Drama Academy's (BADA) Oxford Summer Program when Boseman couldn't afford it.

“Imagine receiving the letter that your tuition for that summer was paid for and that your benefactor was none other than the dopest actor on the planet," he said.

He noted Washington's act of kindness was one of many and added that “an offering from a sage and a king is more than silver and gold. It is a seed of hope, a bud of faith.”

Boseman also declared:

“There is no Black Panther without Denzel Washington. And not just because of me, but my whole cast–that generation–stands on your shoulders.”

An official release date for Black Panther 3 has not been announced.

In the meantime, fans can watch Washington slay and scheme his way on the screen as the nefarious Emperor Macrinus in Gladiator II.

The Gladiator sequel also stars Pau Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen—who reprises Lucilla from the 2000 film, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, and Derek Jacobi—also reprising his character Senator Gracchus from the original film.

The long-awaited sequel, 24 years in the making, finally arrives in theaters on November 22, 2024.