When director Antoine Fuqua was hunting for the perfect actor to lead the band of brothers that fight against injustice in 'The Magnificent Seven', he knew he needed an iconic figure — a man who, as he succinctly puts it, has "total gravitas on screen." And he had just one name on his list: Denzel Washington. The actor plays the role of Sam Chisolm, who recruits a group of outlaws to help protect a town from a brutal tyrant. An all-star cast — including Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke and Vincent D'Onofrio — fell into place around him and the seven are soon all set to ride on to our screens.

Denzel Washington (left) and Chris Pratt in a still from The Magnificent Seven