‘Equalizer 3’ rakes in $42 million, boosts summer domestic revenue over $4 billion in post-pandemic first. Details here

Sony's "Equalizer 3," directed by Antonie Fuqua and starring Denzel Washington, has given a much-needed lift to the summer box office by opening with an estimated $42 million over four days. This achievement marks the first time the domestic summer box office has crossed the $4 billion mark in the post-pandemic era. It's the second-largest Labor Day opening after Marvel's "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," which earned $94.7 million last year.

Normally, Labor Day isn't known for big movie releases, but "Shang-Chi" broke that tradition in 2021 as the industry grappled with pandemic challenges.

The industry reached the $4 billion milestone, providing a win for studios and theater owners. By the end of the Labor Day weekend, the 2023 summer box office is expected to reach nearly $4.1 billion, a 19 per cent increase from 2022 but still lagging behind 2019 by 5.7 per cent.


"Equalizer 3" is set to become the highest-grossing film in the series when final weekend numbers are tallied, surpassing the first two installments, which opened with $34.1 million and $36 million, respectively (unadjusted for inflation).

Internationally, the film earned an impressive $26.1 million from its initial markets.

In other box office news, "Barbie" remains at No. 2, crossing the $600 million domestic mark and becoming the top-grossing film of 2023 with $1.38 billion worldwide. "Blue Beetle" is expected to secure the third spot with an estimated four-day gross of $9 million to $10 million, and "Gran Turismo: Based on A True Story" is sliding with an estimated four-day haul of $8.5 million.

"Oppenheimer" continues its success, clearing $850 million globally, making it Christopher Nolan's third-largest film ever. It's expected to place fifth domestically with $7.2 million over the holiday weekend. MGM's "Bottoms," a specialty teen comedy, earned approximately $3.6 million as it expanded to 715 locations.

FAQs

What milestone did the domestic summer box office achieve with the release of "Equalizer 3"?
The domestic summer box office reached a historic milestone by surpassing $4 billion in revenue for the first time in the post-pandemic era, thanks in part to "Equalizer 3."

How did "Equalizer 3" perform compared to previous films in the series?
"Equalizer 3" is expected to outperform its predecessors in the series, with an estimated four-day opening of $42 million, making it the top start in the series, even though the first two films debuted over traditional three-day weekends.