Denzel Washington Has Already Shown His Love Of Marvel In A Great Movie
Denzel Washington made a famous reference to Marvel's Silver Surfer in 1995's Crimson Tide.
There has been quite a bit of talk about Denzel Washington joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and fans are wondering what role he will take on if the rumors are proven to be true. Though nothing has been formally announced, we can refer back to a 2021 Twitter post by radio broadcaster, Emmet Kennedy, sharing a list of stars he was “reliably informed” would appear in Phase 5 of the MCU. Though we don’t know what role Denzel Washington will ultimately play, we just wanted to remind you he’s an avid Marvel fan, and even expressed his unwavering loyalty to the Silver Surfer in 1995’s Crimson Tide (co-starring Gene Hackman).
Crimson Tide is a 1995 action thriller film that was Written by Michael Schiffer, directed by Tony Scott, and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. It’s also worth mentioning that Quentin Tarantino was an uncredited writer who was hired to finesse the script, and was responsible for throwing in the pop culture references, and some of the more comical dialogue that is peppered in throughout the film. The noteworthy scene we’re here to talk about is when Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington), had to settle a debate between lower ranking officers about the virtues of Marvel, and the Silver Surfer.
In an exchange that’s quite comical, Denzel Washington’s Hunter witnesses a fight in the lower decks, in which Petty Officer First Class Danny Rivetti got into a physical altercation with Bennefield. When Hunter questions Rivetti about the fight, Rivetti explains that they were having a heated argument over which version of Marvel’s Silver Surfer was superior. Rivetti insisted that the Kirby Silver Surfer was superior to the the Moebius Silver Surfer, which rubbed Bennefield the wrong way.
This is where we see Denzel Washington’s love for Marvel, and the Silver Surfer Shine through. Though Hunter has a rough exterior, he knows that tensions run high on missions, and does his best to put Rivetti back into a better headspace.
With a knowing smirk, Hunter tells Rivetti:
“You have to set an example even in the face of stupidity. Everybody who reads comic books knows that the Kirby Silver Surfer is the only true Silver Surfer. Now am I right or wrong?”
-Denzel Washington in Crimson Tide
Though this line was likely written by Quentin Tarantino, it was delivered convincingly by Denzel Washington, and leads us to believe that his love for Marvel Comics, and the Silver Surfer are rooted in reality.
Fast forward to 2023, and there’s nothing quite set in stone for the Flight star. Sure, it’s rumored that Denzel Washington will be joining Marvel, but he likely won’t be playing the Silver Surfer. At least, we certainly can’t make that assumption based on a single line of dialogue from a movie that came out almost 30 years ago.
However, fans have expressed a lot of enthusiasm over the possibility of Washington taking on the role of Magneto in the X-Men Reboot, and not the Silver Surfer from the Fantastic Four. But we’ll probably have to wait and see, because Marvel doesn’t have plans to introduce the X-Men until some time in 2025. They say that past is prologue, so if 1995’s Crimson Tide is any indication of Denzel Washington’s enthusiasm over Marvel, then we’re certainly in for a treat no matter what role he ultimately ends up taking.
