Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg united for a comic book action movie 11 years ago, and a 2 Guns sequel still has potential over a decade later. Released in 2013, 2 Guns is based on the 2007 comic book created by Steven Grant and Mateus Santolouco and published by Boom! Studios. The action movie starred Denzel Washington as special agent Bobby Trench and Mark Wahlberg as U.S. Navy Petty Officer Michael Stigman. It followed the undercover duo as they ran for their lives and attempted to take down a major drug cartel.

With a comic book as source material and the combination of its star power, 2 Guns was largely expected to launch a franchise for Universal Pictures. The major action movie received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics and audiences upon its release, stalling out the box office run at $131 million worldwide. It’s been over a decade since 2 Guns came out, and Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg moved onto other franchises with no sequel progress made. However, a 2 Guns sequel could still be worth doing for all parties involved.

2 Guns Was Successful Enough To Warrant A Sequel

The Movie Should Have Made A Profit At The Box Office

2 Guns might not have been the biggest movie of Mark Wahlberg or Denzel Washington’s careers, but it was still a success. The film debuted in theaters and won the box office in its first weekend, overtaking The Wolverine in its second weekend and defeating The Smurfs 2 as counter-programming. The R-rated action movie went on to make $131 million worldwide after reportedly carrying a budget of $61 million (via Box Office Mojo). It is typically stated that a movie’s box office needs to double its budget to break even, which 2 Guns barely managed to do.

If 2 Guns at least broke even for Universal or even turned a small profit, there is some logic to the idea of it becoming a franchise. Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg are significant draws at the box office, but compeтιтion was stiff for the film’s debut in 2013. Considering that the following year, Denzel headlined The Equalizer movies and Mark Wahlberg starred in a new Transformers movie, the financial success of both franchises under their leads are good signs of how a 2 Guns sequel could perform.

How A 2 Guns Sequel Could Happen & What 3 Guns Story Would Be About

A Sequel Comic Was Written

With over a decade pᴀssing since the original movie, the odds of a 2 Guns sequel happening at this stage appear slim. However, all it could take is either Washington or Wahlberg finding renewed interest in returning to this world for plans to move forward. Universal never formally announced development on a 2 Guns sequel, so any potential development at this stage might only happen if the stars push for it to be made.

If Universal does decide to make a sequel, there is source material for the next movie. Steven Grant and Boom! Studios published 3 Guns in 2014, which could be used as the basis for the next movie. A 3 Guns movie would follow Bobby and Trig as they become part of an arms deal with the Russians. The comic also introduced a “Third Gun”, a mysterious woman who enters Bobby’s life and wants a piece of the deal. That would give the 2 Guns sequel a chance to add a major female action star to the mix to increase excitement.

Denzel Washington Has Shown He’s More Willing To Do Sequels Now

Washington Has Also Joined Other Franchises

Another apparent obstacle in the path of a potential 2 Guns sequel would seemingly be Denzel Washington’s involvement. Though the actor has continued to work consistently since 2 Guns was released, earning multiple Oscar nominations and having big blockbuster success, Washington recently hinted at retirement in the future, or at least becoming more selective with the movies he does. While that would seem to make it less likely he’d sign on for 2 Guns, he has shown more of a willingness to do sequels in recent years.

After over 50 movies to his name, 2018’s The Equalizer 2 marked the first sequel in Washington’s career. However, he obviously didn’t dislike returning to the role as he played Robert McCall for a third time in The Equalizer 3. Not only that, but Washington has shown a willingness to join franchises that he didn’t originate. He has earned huge praise and award recognition for his role in Gladiator II and even revealed he has been in talks with Ryan Coogler about joining Black Panther 3.

Washington has always been an actor who has been selective with his projects. However, with the choices he has been making lately, the idea of him returning to a 2 Guns sequel if it is a worthy follow-up feels more possible than before.

Source: Box Office Mojo