Every Way Netflix’s Man on Fire Differs From Denzel Washington’s Original Movie

The latest Netflix action thriller, Man on Fire, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, is an adaptation of A.J. Quinnell’s 1980 novel of the same name. However, it isn’t the first screen adaptation of Quinnell’s novel. Two movie adaptations came out before the Netflix series, one starring Scott Glenn in 1987 and the other starring Denzel Washington in 2004. Washington’s movie is obviously more popular than Glenn’s 1987 movie.

When Netflix announced a show based on the novel series, fans were skeptical as they didn’t want the streamer recreating Washington’s movie for new audiences. However, the series director (only the first two episodes), Steven Caple Jr., had earlier confirmed that the show and the movie shared very few commonalities (via ScreenRant).

Man on Fire (2026)	Details
Creator and Showrunner	Kyle Killen
Genre	Action Thriller
Based on	Man on Fire by A. J. Quinnell
Cast	Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Billie Boullet, Alice Braga, Scoot McNairy, Paul Ben-Victor, and Bobby Cannavale
Release Date	April 30, 2026
No. of episodes	7

From the show, it is clear that it only shares a DNA with the 2004 movie. Abdul-Mateen II’s story goes in a completely different direction from Washington’s movie, which was a more faithful adaptation of Quinnell’s first book in the novel series. Here are a few key differences between the show and Washington’s movie.

1 Netflix’s Man on Fire Is Based on Multiple Source Materials

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Man on Fire doesn’t have the same story as that of Denzel Washington’s movie. Instead of sticking to A.J. Quinnell’s first book, the Netflix show also took some elements from his second book, The Perfect Kill. The amalgamation helped the show stand on its own as a story, instead of being a remake of the 2004 movie.

In the show, we see John Creasy developing a relationship with Poe. This relationship isn’t adapted just from the Creasy-Pinta bond in the first book, but it also adapts Creasy’s relationship with Michael from the second book. Moreover, Poe’s character is fleshed out very differently from the two kids from the books. She is a rebellious teenager who understands the nature of the work that Creasy does.

Man on Fire also tries to bring in a fresh set of characters (and their motivations), who don’t appear anywhere in the book. Meanwhile, Washington’s movie tried to keep the stories and characters as close to the book as possible.

2 Billie Boullet’s Poe Isn’t Kidnapped Like Dakota Fanning’s Pita

Both Denzel Washington and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s characters travel to a different country, but both of them arrive with a different purpose. Washington’s character visits his friend Paul Rayburn in Mexico, who convinces him to become a bodyguard to young Lupita ‘Pita’ Ramos, the daughter of a wealthy automaker. However, Abdul-Mateen II’s character was brought to Brazil by Rayburn, who wanted to give him a fresh start.

In the 2004 movie, Creasy gets attached to Pita and changes his ways for her. But when she gets kidnapped in front of his eyes, he loses it and goes down a path of revenge against her kidnappers. However, the story of John Creasy in the new show is more about protecting the kid and surviving the whole ordeal without causing her any harm. In the show, Poe is Rayburn’s daughter who witnesses her entire family being killed in a bomb blast.

Being the only witness to the incident, she is pursued by terrorists who want her dead. At times, the show portrays him as being on a path to revenge, but his priorities are different from Washington’s character.

3 Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s John Creasy Is a More Conflicted Hero

The show and the movie’s protagonists were troubled ex-Special Forces soldiers who both attempted suicide before the central plot begins. While Washington’s John Creasy sees significant improvement once he starts hanging out with Pita, Abdul-Mateen II’s Creasy remains a broken man throughout the series.

One of the major changes in the show from the movie, according to Steven Caple Jr., was that “the relationships have changed.” The relationship between him and Poe is the one thing holding him together. They have a connection even before the events in the show, but the series takes its sweet time to develop their relationship. By the end of the series, it is clear that the bond with Poe wasn’t able to completely heal him of his past trauma.

Washington’s character gives himself a chance to reassess things after the failed suicide attempt, and he changes his ways before trouble finds him. However, in the show, Creasy begins to reassess things only when he is faced with the terrible reality. Washington’s rampage was out of vengeance, while the more conflicted Abdul-Mateen II depended on his survival skills like a true soldier.

4 Betrayal Is a Shared Element, But the Villains Are Different

The big villain in the 2004 movie was the kidnapper known as the Voice and his powerful ‘brotherhood.’ However, the villains in the Netflix show were the very people Creasy was hired to serve at the beginning of the show. These people were Brazilian President Carmo and his head of security, Soares. In that sense, the show had the bigger and, probably, the more dangerous ones.

However, both the movie and the show threw a few twists in the form of betrayals. In the movie, it was Pita’s father who orchestrated the kidnapping with his lawyer. However, when Creasy got involved, the father’s plan went sideways, and the kidnappers didn’t deliver her back safely.

The show’s betrayal was even more brutal. It was Creasy’s trusted CIA friend, Henry Tappen, who ordered the bombing that killed Rayburn. Tappen personally oversaw the bombing and later tried to kill Creasy and Poe to eliminate any witnesses. Creasy eventually murdered Tappen, but we were all left in the dark about whether Tappen was involved in the botched mission at the beginning of the show that left Creasy traumatized for life.

5 The Fate of John Creasy

The most significant difference between the show and the movie was the fate of the character of John Creasy. Denzel Washington’s character made the ultimate sacrifice, trading himself for Pita’s safe return. He dies from injuries caused by a gunshot wound before he is taken to the Voice. It is somewhat similar to the book, but the character is revealed to be still alive by the end of it.

However, the movie’s ending was more definitive, signaling there was no return for Washington’s Creasy in a potential sequel. More recently, it was revealed that the movie had another ending planned (via Dexerto). In this climax, Creasy survives the shootout and goes to the Voice, only to kill both himself and the villain in a suicide bombing. The studio didn’t like this ending and put a stop to it immediately.

In the show, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s character survives the events of the movie. For a brief few seconds, fans are made to believe that he may not have survived the fight with the villains after suffering a gunshot wound to his chest. However, in the final scene, he is shown to be attending the funeral of the Rayburns along with Poe. He also gets a call from the CIA, who wants him back for another mission related to his old operation. It suggested that the makers of the Netflix show intended to bring him back for more seasons.

What do you think of these major differences between the movie and the show? Let us know in the comments below!

Man on Fire (2004) is now available for streaming on AMC+. Man on Fire (2026) is now available for streaming on Netflix.