Equalizer 3 Set to Rewrite Franchise Records with Massive Box Office Opening

Summary

The Equalizer 3 is expected to earn between $28 million and $30 million in its opening three days, which falls short of the previous two films.

The Equalizer and its sequel, The Equalizer 2, made $34 million and $36 million respectively during their opening weekends. This suggests that the third film is not far behind in terms of earning potential. The lower box office projections can be attributed to Washington's inability to promote the film due to the SAG-AFTRA strike and the altered behaviors of the audience in light of the pandemic.

The opening weekend box office projections for The Equalizer 3 have been released, indicating that the film is predicted to underperform compared to its predecessors. Directed by Antoine Fuqua once again, the movie brings back Denzel Washington as the former government assassin Robert McCall, embarking on his final mission. Set in Italy, McCall finds himself compelled to confront the mafia in order to safeguard the well-being of those he holds dear.

Why The Equalizer 3's Box Office Projections Are Lower

According to a report by Variety, The Equalizer 3, set to be released later this week, is projected to make an estimated $28 million to $30 million over the weekend. Additionally, the film is expected to reach a range of $33 million to $40 million during the four-day holiday period. However, if these projections hold true, the movie's earnings for the three-day window will fall below the $34 million earned by the original The Equalizer and the $36 million achieved by The Equalizer 2.

As the John Wick movies gain more popularity and generate higher box office revenues, other franchises experience a decline in audience interest. This pattern is evident in the case of Antoine Fuqua's Equalizer trilogy, which can be best compared to the Taken franchise. Both series transform aging actors into unexpected action heroes, with Taken, in particular, becoming synonymous with Liam Neeson's career in the past decade.

As each new Taken movie was released, both critics' reviews and box office performance declined. However, The Equalizer movies consistently received positive reviews from critics, with The Equalizer 3's reviews aligning closely with its predecessors. Additionally, the second film in the series surpassed the first in terms of financial success, earning approximately $1 million more. This suggests that the lower projected performance of the upcoming film is not solely based on its quality, but rather influenced by other factors.

One crucial factor is that Washington is currently unable to promote the movie due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. The absence of promotion by a movie star can potentially result in lower box office returns, which may also be the case for The Equalizer 3. Additionally, the film is being released during a time when audience behavior has shifted due to the pandemic. Consequently, moviegoers may be more inclined to watch films like The Equalizer 3 on streaming platforms. Despite these factors, the opening weekend projections for The Equalizer 3 are not significantly lower than its predecessors, indicating that the film will likely still perform well overall.

Source: Variety