“Still Breaks My Heart”: Director Recalls Losing Denzel Washington Crime Thriller to Ridley Scott 17 Years Later

Antoine Fuqua talks about missing out on directing American Gangster at San Diego Comic-Con. American Gangster is a 2007 crime thriller that centers on a New York City police officer pursuing Frank Lucas, a drug lord. In the movie, Denzel Washington plays him alongside Richie Roberts, played by Russell Crowe. The supporting cast of American Gangster consists of John Hawkes, Ted Levine, Josh Brolin, Lymari Nadal, RZA, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Speaking at the SDCC, Fuqua talks about missing out on American Gangster on Collider’s Directors on Directing panel. The filmmaker claimed that just a few weeks separated him from the set when the “film fell apart because of financing.” Benicio del Toro and Washington had already been cast, and Fuqua had originally intended for a different title. However, outside circumstances got in the way, and Ridley Scott directed the movie instead. Check out Fuqua’s full quote below:

To be honest, I was ready for American Gangster. I had only a few weeks left to shoot American Gangster. Actually, I’m the one who gave it the moniker “American Gangster.” Before I got Denzel Washington interested, it was called Blue-something, but now it’s called American Gangster. Finances caused that movie to fail. Universal was unable to agree on the actors or budget at the time. I wanted it to be Benicio del Toro and Denzel as the police officer. Denzel and Benicio. Universal had other clients at the time. My heart shattered as that collapsed. My heart still hurts from that movie. I spent a few weeks preparing the entire film and getting ready to go into production. Then Ridley Scott made it, so you can’t complain. It is what it is. That’s Hollywood.

How Was American Gangster Received?

American Gangster Was a Success

According to Fuqua’s description of the movie, American Gangster might have appeared differently if he had directed it. Crowe’s character would have been replaced by del Toro’s, creating a distinct dynamic between the two lead characters, even if Washington still played the lead in the end product. Had Fuqua directed American Gangster, Washington and Fuqua would have maintained their close director-actor relationship, which started with Training Day in 2001.

Nevertheless, Scott had a lot more experience as a filmmaker while American Gangster was being produced. Prior to 2007, Scott’s resume consisted of movies like Blade Runner, Gladiator, and Alien, all of which were critically acclaimed and left a lasting impression. American Gangster also fared well critically, getting a Certified Fresh 81% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes as well as a 90% among audiences. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actress for Ruby Dee and Best Achievement in Art Direction.

Antoine Fuqua and Denzel Washington’s Relationship Explained

Fuqua’s Relationship with Washington Continued Without American Gangster

Training Day, Fuqua and Washington’s first joint project, is arguably their most well-known piece of art. Washington was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Ethan Hawke in Training Day and won his second Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Despite spending years working on music videos, Fuqua’s feature Training Day garnered positive reviews and a 74% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This helped put Fuqua on the map in Hollywood.

In Iris, Jim Broadbent defeated Ethan Hawke to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar that year.

Despite not being able to direct Washington in American Gangster, Fuqua and Washington went on to collaborate on a number of other films. This included The Equalizer movies and The Magnificent Seven, all of which have become significant aspects of the careers of both talents. A Fuqua and Washington collaboration on American Gangster would have been a welcome treat, but at least missing out on that did not significantly impact either’s trajectory.

The reception of the Fuqua-Washington collaborations has been mixed overall. The Equalizer series is a great example of this: The highest-rated film in the series (The Equalizer 3) holds a Certified Fresh 76% score, while the lowest-rated (The Equalizer 2) has a much more mixed rating at 52%. Still, The Equalizer and its sequels are regarded as stellar examples of work within the neo-noir genre, and are seen as stylistically fascinating. The Magnificent Seven’s reviews were also mixed, with the film sitting at a 64% Tomato meter.

What Has Ridley Scott Been Up to Since American Gangster?

The Director Takes on Gladiator 2 This Year, Reuniting with Denzel Washington

In contrast to Fuqua, who was considering making an American Gangster film, Scott did not continue to work closely with Washington. The formidable director went on to direct Alien: Covenant and Prometheus, two further entries in the Alien genre, after the 2007 picture. In addition to collaborating with Matt Damon on movies like The Martian and The Last Duel, he recently tackled Napoleon, a historical epic that received Oscar nominations for Visual Effects, Production Design, and Costume Design.

After more than ten years apart, Washington and Scott are having an amazing reunion this year. On the next Gladiator 2, which is scheduled for release on November 22, the two will collaborate once more. Washington is slated to play Macrinus in Gladiator 2, who is a ruthless arms dealer in the film. Coming together after 17 years, the anticipated sequel should be a great way for Scott and Washington to reignite their director-actor relationship that began with American Gangster.

American Gangster

American Gangster is a 2007 crime film directed by Ridley Scott, featuring Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin in Harlem, and Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts, the detective determined to bring him down. The film explores the rise of Lucas in the drug trade and the eventual intersection of their lives amidst the backdrop of a corrupt and morally complex society.

Ridley Scott is the director.
November 2, 2007 is the date of release.
Writers: Mark Jacobson and Steven Zaillian
Cast: Joe Morton, Ted Levine, Josh Brolin, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Joe Gugino, Idris Elba, John Hawkes, Cuba Gooding Jr., Russell Crowe, Denzel Washington,
Duration: 157 minutes
$100 million is the budget.

Is Frank Lucas Still Alive? What Happened After American Gangster

The heroin trade of real-life drug lord Frank Lucas in the late 1960s served as the model for the 2007 movie American Gangster. The criminal drama was directed by Ridley Scott, and Denzel Washington portrayed a somewhat fictionalized version of Frank Lucas. The movie centers on Lucas’s drug trade, in which he trafficked drugs by bringing them into the nation in the coffins of fallen Vietnam troops. Lucas sold heroin under the name “blue magic” and was found guilty of drug trafficking in 1976. Despite having a 70-year prison term, he turned informant and was put, together with his family, in the Witness Protection Program.

The drug-themed movie took some creative liberties, changing some of the story to make American Gangster more interesting. Frank Lucas himself has clarified that much of the movie was not accurate to what happened. The DEA even sued Universal, calling the agency’s portrayal demoralizing. However, the film received mostly positive reviews and was nominated for two Academy Awards. With the film’s continued popularity years later, many have wondered what happened to Frank Lucas after American Gangster premiered and if he’s still alive today.

Summary

• Real-life drug kingpin Frank Lucas, who inspired the movie American Gangster, passed away in 2019 at the age of 88.
• Lucas managed to avoid his initial 70-year prison sentence but was later caught selling heroin in 1984 and served seven years behind bars.
• Lucas’ wife, Julianna Farrait, also played a role in his drug business and faced her own legal troubles, spending five years in prison for her involvement. Since Lucas’ death, Farrait has maintained a private and low-key life.

Frank Lucas Died In 2019

The Real Drug Kingpin Who Inspired American Gangster Passed Away Aged 88

Frank Lucas went away in 2019 from natural causes, twelve years after American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington, took his life story to the big screen. Following confirmation from Lucas’ nephew Aldwan Lassiter, Rolling Stone announced his death at the age of 88. The drug dealer shattered both of his legs in a vehicle accident and spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

Lucas served seven years in prison after being found trafficking heroin in 1984, but he was spared the seventy years he had been originally sentenced to. Julianna Farrait, Lucas’ wife, supported him and even assisted him in his drug dealing, as American Gangster demonstrates.

Frank Lucas died in Cedar Grove, New Jersey on May 30, 2019.

What Happened to Frank Lucas’ Wife After Prison?

Julianna Farrait Had Just as Turbulent a Story as Frank Lucas

Julianna Farrait was a key figure in Frank Lucas’s drug trade and served as the model for Eva in Lymari Nadal’s film American Gangster. She was detained in Puerto Rico in 2010 for attempting to sell cocaine, and she previously faced jail time for drug dealing. Farrait served five years in prison after being found guilty of contributing to her husband’s criminal activities. The pair separated for a while after her release, and Farrait even returned to Puerto Rico. But in the end, they got back together.

Farrait has had a very reclusive life and avoided contact with the media since Lucas’s passing. There have been no updates on her or whether she is still alive, so it is assumed she is. Luckily, this also means she’s likely staying out of trouble and has no plans to get involved in any more drug businesses that could inspire another movie like American Gangster.