Training day He is one of Denzel WashingtonHis most successful films, but the director Antoine Fuqua Fuqua revealed why the original pilot screening of the film was almost a disaster. During an appearance at the San Diego Community Film Festival's Directors' Symposium, Fuqua recalled the negative audience reaction to the film, which was all due to Washington's popularity as an actor.
According to Collider, Fuqua explained that the main problem with the film's release was Washington's portrayal of Alonso Harris, who was killed by the Russian mafia in the final act of the film. For many viewers, Washington's on-screen death was unbearable, which ultimately led to their rejection of the film as a whole. He said:
“Training Day didn't get a high rating in the demo because I killed Denzel. People got mad. I almost lost control in that demo. It was probably the lowest rated demo.”
While the film was a huge success, and Washington won an Oscar, early reactions could have easily changed the entire outcome of the film. But in a story about police corruption, there are certain Hollywood standards that must be met, and that usually means that the bad guys get their comeuppance. That’s precisely why Harris, played by Washington, should get justice for his crimes.
Fuqua's Memories of Training day But the film’s preview also serves as a reminder that audience and critics’ views can be easily skewed by personal preferences. Over the years, many films’ endings have changed due to audience reactions at preview screenings, some for better and some for worse. Ultimately, the real question is whether a film embodies the director’s true vision, or whether he’s simply trying to please audiences. Fuqua certainly didn’t feel the need to change the film because of the preview screenings, a decision that seems to have worked out in his favor.
Will there be a second training day?
Discussions about the possibility of producing a sequel to popular films are always the subject of social media posts and online speculation. However, the idea of producing a sequel to a Training day The movie never really caught on. Instead, it was adapted into a TV show in 2015, starring Bill Paxton, in one of his final roles, and Justin Cromwell. While the show did mention Washington, the association was just a passing mention of the name at the end of the season. As one of CBS's lowest-rated dramas that season, the show was canceled.
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Several years ago, Warner Bros. began developing a prequel film titled Training day: Riot day. The film is expected to follow Alonso's character as a younger officer, and is set two days before the Rodney King trial verdict and the riots that followed in Los Angeles. The film began production in 2022, but little has been heard from it since then. However, there have been no reports of Warner Bros. canceling the film yet.
