Denzel Washington’s The Equalizer 3 is off to a strong start at the box office. Over the four-day Labor Day weekend, The Equalizer 3 will earn an estimated $42-44 million. That’s the second-best Labor Day weekend opening ever, behind only Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Tne Rings, which earned $94.6 million when it opened in 2021. The Equalizer 3‘s three-day box office total will be $35-37 million, possibly a franchise-best debut (The Equalizer 2 opened with $36 million in 2018). On Friday, The Equalizer 3 earned $13.1 million, including $3.8 million in Thursday night preview screenings, which has elevated the film’s overall box office forecast.
The Equalizer 3 has done decently well with critics, earning a fresh (but not “certified fresh”) 74% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a series best. The critics’ consensus on the site reads, “Another entertaining outing from Antoine Fuqua and Denzel Washington, The Equalizer 3 mostly makes up for its formulaic story with generous helpings of cathartic action.”
Barbie will come in second this weekend, remaining strong with $9 million over three days and $12 million with the holiday added into its total. That’ll bring its domestic box office total to $610.8 million. As of this weekend, Barbie is officially the biggest movie of 2023 thus far and Warner Bros. Pictures’ highest-grossing film ever.
Gran Turismo will come in third place with $8 million over the holiday weekend. DC’s Blue Beetle will land in the fourth-place spot, and Oppenheimer comes in fifth. The list of the top 10 films at the box office this weekend is in the works.
