The cast of the long-in-development adaptation of the 1980s TV series The Equalizer is starting to come together.  Denzel Washington has been set for quite some time in the lead role of a former covert operations officer who dedicates his life to helping people in trouble.  The production has seen both Nicolas Winding Refn and Rupert Wyatt enter and exit the director’s chair over the past couple of months, but Washington’s Training Day helmer Antoine Fuqua is now firmly set to bring the film to fruition.  As they move towards a production start date later this year in anticipation of an April 11, 2014 release date, Fuqua has now cast his female lead, and it’s a bit of a surprising choice: Chloe Grace Moretz.

Hit the jump for more, including information on the Taxi Driver-esque character that Moretz will play and a continuation of the original character in book form. 

Washington and Fuqua looked at at a number of actresses for the female lead in The Equalizer, but Deadline reports that both were wildly impressed with Moretz after the 16-year-old did a chemistry reading with Washington.  The role was originally envisioned for a twentysomething, but the part will now be redrawn for Moretz, who will play a young prostitute.  The hardboiled nature of the film and Moretz’s character bring to mind shades of Taxi Driver, and it’ll be interesting to see how the interplay between Washington and Moretz develops onscreen.

Moretz has made some interesting choices as of late, with the teenager making clear that she’s not content to stick to one genre.  She’ll be seen later this year in both the sequel Kick-Ass 2 and the Carrie remake, but she’s also poised to star in Lynn Shelton’s independent dramedy Laggies opposite Keira Knightley and the Gillian Flynn adaptation Dark Places alongside Charlize Theron.  Definitely some fascinating roles for the young and immensely talented Moretz coming up.

Getting back to The Equalizer, the report additionally notes that the creator of the original TV series, Michael Sloan, has made a deal to write a new novel that will continue the adventures of the lead character.  The book is poised to be published in early 2014.