The Marvel Movie That Made Denzel Washington Break Down In Tears

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Denzel Washington has always been careful about what films he chooses to work on. After becoming widely recognized and openly acclaimed in 1980s dramas like "Cry Freedom" and "Glory," he was officially a Hollywood powerhouse by the time he appeared in Spike Lee's films "Mo' Better Blues" and "Malcolm X," as well as "Philadelphia" and "Much Ado About Nothing." Because he was such a big star, Washington never felt obligated to star in a major action franchise, and he was long insistent on never acting in any sequels, at least not until "The Equalizer 2" in 2018. He tends to want to work with deeply experienced directions he can form a good relationship with. There's a reason he's made multiple films with Lee, Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, and Antoine Fuqua. 

That's not to say, however, that Washington is allergic to mainstream entertainments. Like everyone, he's seen the big actioners and attended films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Washington may not want to star in Marvel movies, no matter how much fans would like to see that, but he likes watching them. Indeed, one of the MCU films deeply moved the actor and caused him to cry. On Twitter/X, the journalist Richie Driss posted a video clip of an interview he conducted with Washington back in 2018, and he asked what the most recent film Washington saw that made him cry. Washington was quick to answer "Black Panther." 

Ryan Coogler's "Black Panther" starred the late Chadwick Boseman as the king of the fictional African nation of Wakanda. His country was located over a massive deposit of a rare substance called vibranium that allowed Wakanda to develop hyper-advanced technologies like high-speed hovercrafts, sophisticate communication devices, and most notably, a high-powered, bulletproof superhero suit for its title hero. But Washington loved it for its place in Black cinema history. 

Black Panther made Denzel Washington reflect on the past

Washington understands the long tradition of acclaimed Black actors in Hollywood, and he finds himself as belonging to a tradition that includes the legendary Sidney Poitier. He feels like his was the generation of Black actors that came to prominence largely because of the work Poitier did. When he saw "Black Panther," though, he knew a new generation was already here. Washington is now 69, and he'll continue to work for as long as he can, but he also knows that younger actors and filmmakers have "taken the baton" from him, as it were. Washington said: 

"I ran into Chad and Ryan before the movie started. It was their ... screening in New York. And I was just talking to them, and then I went into the movie. And in the 40 years I've been in this game came back to me. I was like 'Man, look at these young boys!' I was like 'oof!' You know Sidney to now. And I'm in the gap; me and many others. Man. I felt like the third leg in a relay race. Like "Here, go!" I'm still running, but [looking at 'Black Panther'] I was like, 'Man, they're gone.'"

He then described Coogler and Boseman running off to the right, continuing to push deeper into the film landscape. He, meanwhile, joked that he ran off to the left where he could sit at home. Washington is far from retiring, but he implied that he could relax a little bit more. At 69, he is no longer the young upstart he once was. He's merely a great actor. 

Sadly, Boseman passed away in 2020, but Coogler continues to work. He made a sequel to "Black Panther" called "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" in 2022, and his new film, "Sinners," is due in theaters on March 7, 2025. One can assume Washington will see that one too.