Denzel Washington bid farewell to Robert McCall and The Equaliser series on Thursday, but he did so with a bang, earning an estimated $3.8 million from showtimes that started at 3pm at 3,241 locations throughout the country. If the numbers work out, that should be the beginning of a $30 million to $40 million opening weekend, which would rank as the second-best Labour Day weekend ever behind Shang-Chi’s $94.6 million haul from back in September 2021.
The Equaliser 2’s previews performed better than last night’s, taking in $3.1 million across 2,934 theatres on Thursday with showtimes beginning at 4pm. 23% of the movie’s $13.3 million Friday revenue came from this. It’s important to note that this opening weekend’s performance eclipsed that of Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again’s debut weekend at Universal, which brought in $34.9 million between July 20 and 22, 2018.
However, despite the $34 million opening weekend for the first movie in 2014 and the sequel’s $36 million debut four years later, Equaliser 3 is still predicted to have the lowest opening three-day of the trilogy. But with the Labour Day vacation coming up on Monday, attendance should increase and be sufficient to propel the movie to the top of the domestic box office, surpassing Gran Turismo, which, depending on who you ask, may or may not have come in first place last weekend.
What’s the Story Behind ‘The Equaliser 3’, and Is It Worth Watching?
The third and final part of The Equaliser will be helmed by Antoine Fuqua, who is most known for directing the first two films as well as Training Day with Washington. In this episode, McCall, played by Washington, encounters a fresh obstacle on the scenic Italian coast in a mafia-controlled town. He must once more use his powerful and gun-toting mercenary abilities, going on one more assignment, to ensure his escape.
The progress of the film is anticipated to benefit from word-of-mouth. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 76% rating and a 92% audience approval rating. According to Collider’s Nate Richard, who gave the movie a positive review, Washington’s performance demonstrates his extraordinary flexibility as an action star and a serious actor. Richard also notes that the movie makes up for its lack of a plot with exciting action sequences that will please franchise fans.