‘Equalizer 3’ cleans up; ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ score new records

AP:

The third installment in the Denzel Washington-led Equalizer franchise topped the domestic box office this weekend with $34.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. By the end of the Monday holiday, Sony expects that total will rise to $42 million.

Labour Day signals the end of Hollywood’s summer movie season, which will surpass $4 billion in ticket sales for the first time since the pandemic, thanks in no small part to Barbie and Oppenheimer, which are still netting records even after seven weeks in theatres. This weekend, Barbie officially became the biggest movie of 2023 with over $1.36 billion globally, surpassing The Super Mario Bros. Movie, while Oppenheimer sailed past $850 million globally to become the No. 3 movie of the year.

The Equalizer 3 arrived at a fraught time for Hollywood, with actors seven weeks into a strike and movie theatres bracing for a somewhat depleted fall season as a result.

The ongoing strike meant Washington was unable to stump for the movie, which was directed by his frequent collaborator Antoine Fuqua and brings his vigilante character Robert McCall to Italy’s Amalfi coast. While the lack of a major star on a promotional tour would normally be considered a liability for a film’s box office potential, Equalizer 3 might be the rare exception that could withstand a rollout without Washington’s help simply because it’s a recognisable franchise.

Sony opened the R-rated Equalizer 3 in over 3,900 locations in North America, including on IMAX and premium large-format screens, where it opened in line with the previous two films which both went on to make over $190 million globally. With co-financing from TSG and Eagle Pictures, the film carried a $70-million production price tag. The film received generally positive reviews from critics (76 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes) and overwhelmingly positive reviews from audiences, who gave it an A on CinemaScore and a five-star PostTrak rating. Overseas, it made $26.1 million, contributing to a $60.6-million global debut.

Summer box office

That the 18-week summer movie season hit $4 billion is significant for an industry still recovering from the pandemic and facing uncertainty in the fall if the actors and writers strikes continue. Before the pandemic, $4 billion summers had become the standard for the industry and generally accounted for at least 40 per cent of the total box office for the year. Last summer netted out with $3.4 billion.

And this summer had its share of hits, flops and surprises, with “Barbenheimer” accounting for over $900 million of the $4 billion haul.

“The summer box office is vitally important and a strong indicator of the health of the industry,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “Many were really skeptical that we could get to $4 billion. We’re hitting it literally in the final days of the summer. It’s a reminder that any hit or miss makes a profound impact on the bottom line.”

1. The Equalizer 3, $34.5 million.

2. Barbie, $10.6 million.

3. Blue Beetle, $7.3 million.

4. Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story, $6.6 million.

5. Oppenheimer, $5.5 million.

6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, $4.8 million.

7. Bottoms, $3 million.

8. Meg 2: The Trench, $2.9 million.

9. Strays, $2.5 million.

10. Talk to Me, $1.8 million.