Movie bosses at Sony Pictures are so confident Denzel Washington's new action thriller The Equalizer will be a big hit, they are forging ahead with plans for a sequel, months before the film hits theatres.

The trailer for Training Day director Antoine Fuqua's latest project debuted online over the weekend (24-25May14) and studio executives at Sony were so charged by the fan feedback, they've commissioned writer Richard Wenk to start work on a follow-up.

The Equalizer stars Washington as a former intelligence officer who clashes with Russian mobsters as he helps to save Chloe Grace Moretz's distressed character. The film is based on the hit 1980s Tv series of the same name, featuring Edward Woodward.

Washington's film is scheduled to hit cinemas in September (14).