Summary
- Dakota Fanning’s Emma Collins is a defining character in The Equalizer 3, surprising viewers with her larger role in the storyline.
- Fanning’s chemistry with Denzel Washington adds realism to their scenes, thanks to their previous collaboration in Man on Fire.
- Collins’ role redefines the previous two movies by revealing her unexpected connection to the franchise’s veterans and setting the stage for her continued involvement.
Dakota Fanning’s Emma Collins is a defining character in The Equalizer 3 and in the franchise as a whole, leading to speculation about whether she appeared in the first two movies as well. Dakota Fanning’s role was highly anticipated by The Equalizer viewers, and it ended up being a bigger part of the overall storyline than expected. It also served as a reunion between Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington, who starred in Man on Fire together. This contributed to their on-screen chemistry and made their The Equalizer scenes seem that much more realistic.
Later character additions to franchises can often be unmemorable, as a solid cast has usually already been established. Dakota Fanning, however, was able to come into the existing franchise and make a huge impact. Collins managed to fit in seamlessly with the rest of The Equalizer characters, yet also was able to set herself apart as a memorable part of the franchise. Her role was able to redefine the previous two movies, as the character had a meaningful and unexpected tie to them.
Dakota Fanning Did Not Appear In The Equalizer 1 & 2
Given how large of a role Dakota Fanning plays in The Equalizer 3, there has been curiosity about whether she was in the first two movies as well. Fanning’s character, Emma Collins, was not present in either of the two previous The Equalizer movies. Emma Collins was first introduced to audiences as a young CIA agent called to help Robert McCall crack a case against the regional Italian Mafia.
Throughout the movie, there is a looming question of why Emma Collins needed to be the agent to assist McCall with this. It is revealed in The Equalizer 3‘s ending that there is more to Fanning’s character than audiences may have initially thought. Emma Collins is the daughter of two of the movie franchise’s veterans, Melissa Leo and Bill Pullman. This deepens the connection between Collins and McCall and explains why he felt that he could trust her so much. Being chosen by McCall also helps to elevate Collins’ career at the DIA and allows her to follow in her mother’s footsteps. This leaves the possibility for Dakota Fanning to continue to play a large role in the franchise if another movie happens after The Equalizer 3.
The Movies Did Not Mention The Plummer’s Daughter Before Equalizer 3
Because of how this reveal reshapes the franchise as a whole, it would make sense for there to be references to her before The Equalizer 3. This is not the case, however, and the movies never mentioned the Plummers having a daughter before. This made the reveal in the third movie even more startling and satisfying, as there was no indication that Collins existed.
The Equalizer 3
- Release Date
- September 1, 2023
- Director
- Antoine Fuqua
- Runtime
- 109 Minutes
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
