Sony’s “The Equalizer 3” is making a splash at the box office, providing a much-needed boost to the post-pandemic era. The film, directed by Antonie Fuqua and starring Denzel Washington, is expected to have a Labor Day opening of around $42 million, making it the second-best opening for the holiday weekend.
This successful release is also helping push the domestic summer box office to a record-breaking $4 billion for the first time in the post-pandemic era. This milestone is a significant win for Hollywood studios and theater owners, as it shows a resurgence in moviegoing after a challenging period.
Industry experts predict that the final summer box office number for 2023 will be close to $4.1 billion, a 16 percent increase compared to the previous year. However, it still falls behind the pre-pandemic levels of 2019 by 5.7 percent.
Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian comments on the achievement, saying, “For the industry, after a three-year hiatus, to generate enough summer box office heat to again reach the $4 billion benchmark for the season is a remarkable achievement made even more interesting by the unexpected and often confounding path that led to this key milestone. ‘Equalizer 3’ is taking us out on a high note!”
Audiences have been giving “Equalizer 3” positive word-of-mouth, resulting in strong ticket sales. The film received an A CinemaScore and is benefiting from attracting a diverse audience. According to PostTrak, Caucasians made up 33 percent of Friday ticket buyers, followed by Blacks (31 percent), Latinos (20 percent), and Asians/Other (15 percent).
Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” remains in the top two spots for its seventh weekend, with a projected domestic gross of over $13 million for the Labor Day weekend. The film has recently surpassed $600 million domestically and has become the top-grossing movie of 2023 to date, surpassing “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” It has also grossed $763.4 million overseas for a cumulative total of $1.365 billion.
Other notable films at the box office this Labor Day weekend include DC’s “Blue Beetle” at No. 3, Sony’s “Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story” at No. 4, and Universal’s “Oppenheimer” at No. 5. “Oppenheimer” has also been making headlines, as it is clearing the $850 million mark globally, making it Christopher Nolan’s third-biggest film ever. In North America, it is expected to make $7.2 million for the four-day holiday weekend, bringing its domestic total to $310.3 million.
With the success of “The Equalizer 3” and other films, the summer box office is ending on a high note, proving that audiences are eager to return to theaters and enjoy the cinematic experience once again.