Italian police arrested two caterers working on the set of “The Equalizer 3” after the head caterer died of a heart attack. According to Italian newspaper Il Giornale, the upcoming Denzel Washington movie is in its fourth week of filming in Maiori, Italy, where authorities seized 120 grams of cocaine Tuesday, Nov. 1.
Authorities reportedly discovered small packages of the substance in a resort hotel room in the Amalfi area, where the catering staff stayed. Some were found in the deceased man’s “pocket,” which led to suspicions about drugs elsewhere on the production set. The man’s wife confirmed her husband suffered from heart disease. He died shortly after arriving at the emergency room in an ambulance.
During Tuesday’s raid, two employees over the age of 30 were arrested and placed on house arrest at the hotel for suspicions of drug dealing. The newspaper also reports that police revoked the driver’s license of a third employee who was found with a small amount of cocaine. No word on whether or not the drug bust will impact the rest of filming.
“The Equalizer 3” is the third installment from director Antoine Fuqua, starring Washington. The original follows Robert McCall, a man with a no-nonsense attitude with a passion for helping those who can’t help themselves. It earned over $194 million worldwide, while the sequel grossed over $190 million. The threequel marks Washington and Fuqua’s fifth project together after working on the first two movies, as well as “Training Day,” and “The Magnificent Seven.”
The franchise’s success inspired a reboot of “The Equalizer” series starring Queen Latifah as vigilante Robyn McCall. The original Emmy-winning “Equalizer” series ran for five years between 1985 and 1989. The new CBS show began airing its third season last month, but the actress said she’s down for a crossover episode with the legendary duo.
“That’s up to D,” Latifah told Variety. “It’s really between him and Antoine. Obviously, I love him to pieces. I have the greatest amount of respect for him. What he’s done with the films has been incredible, and I’d be more than happy to connect with him on any level. It’s just kind of like that with us. So, who knows what’s gonna happen?”
She continued, “So, who knows what’s gonna happen? Who knows what could happen, but, I’m looking forward to whatever he’s gonna do, because I know when he gets in the zone, it gets in the zone. I’m gonna keep doing TVs Robyn McCall and let him keep rocking the movie version of McCall; I know we’ll both continue to deliver.”
