Antoine Fuqua began his career as a music video director, working with famed artists such as Prince, Toni Braxton, and Coolio. He made his feature film debut in 1998 withThe Replacement Killers, starring Hong Kong action star Chow Yun-fat. Fuquas first major success came in 2001, with the release of Los Angeles-based crime thriller Training Day which also happened to be the first major success of screenwriter David Ayer. Training Day was a box-office hit, and contained an Oscar-winning performance from Denzel Washington. For the most part, Fuqua has found success directing action thrillers along the lines of 2007s Shooter or 2013s Olympus Has Fallen. His most recent hit came just last year, with the Jake Gyllenhaal-headlined boxing film Southpaw. Why should we be interested in Fuquas next film? Well, for one, it has a familiar title: The Magnificent Seven. Now before you roll your eyes at the idea of remaking a classic Western (which was itself a remake of the even more classic Seven Samurai) consider the cast. We have the always-reliable Denzel Washington reuniting with Fuqua after their last collaberation, The Equalizer. We have Chris Pratt, Vincent DOnofrio, Ethan Hawke, and Peter Sarsgaard in supporting roles. Then we have Fuqua himself, who has made a name for himself directing gritty action adventure films. It might not be everyones most-anticipated film of 2016, but its definitely one worth keeping an eye on.
Spencer is a Film Studies major at the Rhode Island College in Providence. He is a professional video editor, hopeful screenwriter, aspiring director, and prays that his ambitions aren't just starry-eyed daydreams. Follow him on twitter @NotSpencerSerra
