Expendables 4 Struggles at Box Office Amid SAG-AFTRA Strike: Lowest Opening Weekend Yet

The box office is in a slump this weekend due to the release of “Expendables 4” amidst a SAG-AFTRA strike. The franchise fourthquel is projected to only make $8-10 million, the lowest for the series. Previous weekend box office numbers have also been low, with last weekend being the second worst of the year at $62.8 million. “Expendables 4” has received mixed reviews, with a B- CinemaScore and a 2 1/2 stars/64% rating on Comscore/Screen Engine’s PostTrak. Deadline’s Todd McCarthy even claims that the film recycled footage from “Meg 2” in an unoriginal context. Additionally, the film holds a 16% Rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the impact of the SAG-AFTRA strike, other sequels such as “Meg 2,” “Nun 2,” and “Equalizer 3” have successfully opened. The low box office numbers for “Expendables 4” can be attributed to a lack of improvement and stale content in each sequel. The film was primarily targeted towards the overseas market, as the previous installment generated 81% of its $214.6 million box office earnings abroad. On a positive note, “A Haunting in Venice” is performing well in its second weekend, and “Saw X” is expected to lead the box office next weekend. Despite the disappointing opening for “Expendables 4,” Lionsgate is known for quickly releasing films in theaters and home entertainment to maximize profit. The overall production cost for the film was $100 million, and with its lower than expected box office performance, someone is likely to suffer financial losses.