Denzel Washington shares his dream final roles as he eyes acting retirement

Was Training Day really that long ago? That’s the question fans have all been asking in light of recent Denzel Washington news.

In a conversation with Australia’s Today (via Variety), the iconic actor reported that retirement is in his future. While this is a major loss for Hollywood, no one can really blame him. Washington has been firing on all cylinders since the ’80s, a fact that is easy to forget when he keeps pumping out hits. The Malcolm X actor reminded the outlet that he is now about the play a repeat character in the upcoming Broadway production of Othello.

“I played Othello at 22. I am about to play Othello at 70.”

There are very few things that Washington hasn’t done at this point in his career, and he wants to only do high-caliber projects. But before retirement, he has some heavy hitters in the works.

“After [Othello], I am playing Hannibal. After that, I’ve been talking to Steve McQueen about a film. After that, Ryan Coogler is writing a part for me in the next Black Panther. After that, I’m going to do the film Othello, After that, I’m going to do King Lear. After that, I’m going to retire.”

Washington’s schedule still appears to be jam-packed, and there is one role that stands out specifically among the rest.

King Lear will be the perfect send-off

Denzel Washington has had a lot of experience with critical acclaim and theater runs. The Oscar-winner may be most remembered for his dramatic roles on the screen, but he has also been a friend to the stage, especially in Shakespeare ventures. Only in 2021 did the actor take on one of the playwright’s most famous parts. In Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, Washington co-stars with Frances McDormand in the play that made everyone afraid of saying the title in the theater. He has proven his aptitude with the material, making Othello and King Lear anticipated returns to form. King Lear, in particular, seems like a calculated decision for Washington to make as his final role.

King Lear is famous for elevating many older actors with its subject material. Played in the past by actors such as Anthony Hopkins and Ian McKellen, the play follows a wizened king who separates his kingdom between three daughters. A tragedy in every sense of the word, the story deals with the mental decline of Lear and the death of his favorite daughter. A meaty role for any actor, fans can look forward to a new interpretation.

Of course, there is also Washington’s plans to enter the MCU, which will be a crowd pleaser for fans. It is the one thing he hasn’t done yet, and that is understandable. Comic book movies have not always had the best reputation, and Marvel hasn’t had the greatest run recently. However, a union between Ryan Coogler and Washington seems obvious in retrospect.

Before Marvel, Coogler made a name for himself alongside Michael B. Jordan with films such as Fruitvale Station and the Creed franchise. Now the director is helming a Jim Crow-era vampire film with Jordan in the lead. Coogler’s MCU work is not the most impressive thing he’s done, but Black Panther continues to stand apart from other Marvel works.

The second Black Panther film, Wakanda Forever, was a heartfelt meditation on grief, following Chadwick Boseman’s death from cancer. The film hands the mantle of the Black Panther over to Shuri (Letitia Wright), who is in the grips of grief following the death of T’Challa (Boseman). Black Panther has always been more than just a comic book film and fans can trust Coogler to deliver. While there has been no confirmation of a Black Panther 3 or who the actor will be portraying, the choice to add Washington to the cast couldn’t be better.

Washington habitually works with acclaimed actors and cinema is better for it. His highly- anticipated collaboration with Ridley Scott is next on the release docket. Gladiator II stars Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, a star-studded film that will be a return to form to cinema. Full of rhinoceroses, baboons, and shark-infested waters, Scott holds nothing back in the sword and sandals epic. Fans can see Washington’s role as Macrinus when Gladiator II premieres in theaters on November 22.