'The Equalizer 3' surprises with $34.5M and No. 1, while 'Barbie' clinches new record

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, that total is expected to rise to $42 million.

Labor 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 theaters.

This weekend, Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" officially became the biggest movie of 2023 with more than $1.36 billion globally, surpassing "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," while Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" sailed past $850 million globally to become the No. 3 movie of the year and Nolan's third-highest grossing.

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

The ongoing SAG-AFTRA 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" may be the rare exception that could withstand a rollout without Washington's help simply because it's a recognizable franchise.

"One of the biggest movie stars in the world took us out on a high note," says Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. "Studios often coast to Labor Day, but Sony was smart to choose this weekend to open 'The Equalizer 3.' "

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The R-rated film opened in 3,900-plus locations in North America, including on IMAX and premium large format screens, where it performed in line with the previous two films, which both went on to make more than $190 million globally.

The film received generally positive reviews from critics (76% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and overwhelmingly positive reviews from audiences, who gave it an A on CinemaScore and a five-star PostTrak rating.

"It's uncanny the consistency of the 'Equalizer' franchise," Dergarabedian says.

Overseas, it made $26.1 million, contributing to a $60.6 million global debut.

In second place, "Barbie" added $10.6 million for the weekend in the U.S. and Canada, pushing its domestic total to $609.5 million. DC's "Blue Beetle" added $7.3 million to take third. The superhero film has grossed $56.6 million in three weekends in North America. Fourth place went to "Gran Turismo," which is projecting $6.6 million through Sunday, down 62% from opening weekend, and $8.5 million including Monday.

"Oppenheimer" landed in fifth with an estimated $5.5 million ($7.4 million including estimates for Monday) from 2,543 theaters. This brings its domestic total to $310.3 million and its global take to $851 million.

The movie opened in China on Wednesday, playing on 35,000 screens, where it is estimated to have made $30.3 million in its first five days. A significant portion of that ($9.3 million through Sunday) came from 736 IMAX screens.

IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond says in a statement that "Oppenheimer" showed that "it's nowhere near finished dazzling audiences worldwide."

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The 18-week summer movie season hitting $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% 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 more than $900 million of the $4 billion haul.

"The summer box office is vitally important and a strong indicator of the health of the industry," Dergarabedian says. "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."

Final figures are expected Tuesday.