Nearly seven months before The Equalizer is set to hit theaters this fall, Sony Pictures is already developing a sequel to the big screen adaptation of the original 80s TV drama, hiring Richard Wenk (The Equalizer, The Expendables 2) to return for scripting duties

Sony made the decision to move forward on a follow-up after a December test screening yielded the highest scores for an R-rated movie in the studio's history. Denzel Washington is expected to reprise his role in the original as Robert McCall, a former Black Ops commander who lives a quiet life in Boston. When he helps rescue a teenage prostitute (Chloe Moretz), he finds himself going up against deadly Russian mobsters. Denzel Washington's original deal did not include an option for a sequel, even though Sony always imagined the project as the start of a potential franchise. If he does sign on, this will be the actor's first ever sequel.

It isn't clear yet if co-stars Melissa Leo, Bill Pullman, Haley Bennett, David Harbour and Marton Csokas will return, or if Antoine Fuqua will be back to direct. The action-thriller is based on the 1980s TV series The Equalizer, which starred Edward Woodward as Robert McCall, and ran for four seasons on CBS from 1985 to 1989.

Richard Wenk's other writing credits include 16 Blocks, The Mechanic and the upcoming Masters of the Universe.