Denzel Washington’s latest film, “The Equalizer 3,” has claimed the top spot at the domestic box office, earning an estimated $34.5 million in ticket sales during its opening weekend, according to Sony’s figures released on Sunday. The studio anticipates that the film’s total box office earnings will rise to $42 million by the end of the Labor Day holiday on Monday.
Overseas, “The Equalizer 3” has generated $26.1 million in ticket sales, contributing to a global debut of $60.6 million. The film, co-financed by TSG and Eagle Pictures, carried a production price tag of $70 million.
According to the Associated Press, Hollywood’s summer movie season is on track to surpass $4 billion in ticket sales for the first time since the pandemic, thanks in part to the success of films like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” which continue to perform well even after seven weeks in theaters.
Over the weekend, Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” officially became the highest-grossing movie of 2023, with global ticket sales exceeding $1.36 billion, surpassing “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” also achieved impressive success, becoming the third-highest-grossing movie of the year with $850 million in global ticket sales.
“The Equalizer 3” opened in over 3,900 locations across North America, including IMAX and premium large format theaters. In the film, Denzel Washington portrays a retired US Marine and drug enforcement agent who takes on a gang in Italy.
Filmmaker Antoine Fuqua, who directed the movie, stated, “Denzel is an international movie star. We thought it would be nice to see a man of color in a story that’s more international. Why not take this character around the world? Luckily, Sony loved the idea.”
“The Equalizer 3” reunites a core team with a long history, including producers Todd Black and Jason Blumenthal. Antoine Fuqua has previously directed Denzel Washington in acclaimed films like “Training Day,” which earned Washington his first lead actor Oscar, and the recent remake of “The Magnificent Seven.”
