Denzel Washington’s Next Movie With Antoine Fuqua Reportedly Dead

Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua‘s long-planned Hannibal movie appears to be finished before cameras ever rolled. Cinematographer Robert Richardson, a three-time Oscar winner who was set to shoot the film, confirmed with The Playlist that the Netflix project is now “effectively dead.”

Speaking at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, he said the movie fell apart only about two weeks earlier, and noted that he had been booked for roughly 10 to 12 weeks of work on it. The collapse follows an earlier warning sign. In June 2026, Netflix paused pre-production on the historical epic over money concerns, with the film’s rumored budget reported to be north of $200 million (via Deadline).

At that point, the shoot was lined up for the summer in Italy, casting was underway, and Fuqua’s team had already been scouting locations. Both Netflix and the producers were said to be working things out, and the pause was not described as a cancellation.

However, Richardson’s comments now suggest those talks did not save the project. It’s a disappointing turn for a film that had been in development since 2023 and would have marked the sixth collaboration between Washington and Fuqua.

What Was Denzel Washington’s General Hannibal Biopic About?

The untitled Hannibal film would have starred Denzel Washington as General Hannibal, the Carthaginian general many historians rank among the greatest military commanders in history. According to the official logline, the story centers on “the pivotal battles Hannibal fought against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War” (via Variety).

Historically, Hannibal is famous for his invasion of Italy and his victories over the Romans. He held much of southern Italy for around 15 years before he was finally beaten at the Battle of Zama. The screenplay came from John Logan, who wrote Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator and Ridley Scott’s Gladiator. The production was set to be based at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios, with the bulk of the lavish shoot planned for Italy.

Washington was also producing through his Hill District Media banner, which earlier struck a deal with Netflix, alongside Fuqua and others. First announced in 2023, the epic would have been the pair’s sixth film together. Interestingly, Washington won an Oscar for Fuqua’s Training Day in 2001.

Denzel Washington Mentioned Hannibal Among His Final Few Films

Denzel Washington as Macrinus in Gladiator II | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Part of what made the Hannibal project feel so significant was where Washington placed it in his own plans. While promoting Gladiator II in late 2024, the two-time Oscar winner spoke about slowing down, saying he only wants to work with the best filmmakers because he doesn’t have many films left in him. He then laid out a rough list of the roles he hoped to take on before stepping away from acting. He told Today:

This places Hannibal near the front of a short and clearly personal wish list, which is part of why the film’s apparent collapse stings. Interestingly, the Hannibal announcement also sparked widespread controversies, especially from Tunisian authorities.

French newspaper Courrier International reported that Hannibal, being represented as a Black African, was questioned by the Tunisian parliament. It was claimed that Hannibal, born in Carthage, was of West Asian Semitic origin.

What do you think of the reports surrounding the movie’s cancellation? Let us know in the comments below!