The Equalizer 3 Opening Strong Over Labor Day Weekend

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’ . 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 , 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 $611.8 million. As of this weekend, Barbie and Warner Bros. Pictures’ highest-grossing film ever.

 DC’s Blue Beetle will land in the third-place spot, with Gran Turismo in fourth, and Oppenheimer rounding out the top five. The list of the top 10 films at the box office this weekend follows.

1. The Equalizer 3

• Opening weekend
• Total: $43.5 million

Since giving up his life as a government assassin, Robert McCall finds solace in serving justice on behalf of the oppressed. Now living in Southern Italy, he soon discovers his new friends are under the control of local crime bosses. As events turn deadly, McCall becomes their protector by taking on the mafia.

Antoine Fuqua directed The Equalizer 3, the final installment of the film trilogy inspired by the 1985 The Equalizer television series. It stars Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, David Denman, Sonia Ammar, and Remo Girone.

2. Barbie

• Week Seven
• Weekend: $13 million
• Total: $611.8 million
  

In Barbie, to live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken. From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig comes Barbie, which hit theaters on July 21st. Barbie stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. The film also stars Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, based on Barbie by Mattel.

3. Blue Beetle

• Week Three
• Weekend: $9 million
• Total: $58.3 million
  

From Warner Bros. Pictures comes Blue Beetle, which arrives in theaters on August 18th, marking the DC superhero’s first time on the big screen. The film, directed by Angel Manuel Soto, stars Xolo Maridueña in the title role as well as his alter ego, Jaime Reyes. Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero BLUE BEETLE.

Starring alongside Maridueña are Adriana Barraza, Damían Alcázar, Elpidia Carrillo, Bruna Marquezine, Raoul Max Trujillo, with Oscar winner Susan Sarandon, and George Lopez (the “Rio and “Smurf” franchises). The film also stars Belissa Escobedo and Harvey Guillén. Soto directs from a screenplay by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, based on characters from DC. John Rickard and Zev Foreman are producing, with Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman and Garrett Grant serving as executive producers.

4. Gran Turismo

• Week Two
• Weekend: $8.5 million
• Total: $30.6 million
  

The true story of a team of unlikely underdogs — a working-class gamer, a former race-car driver, and an idealistic motorsport executive — who risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world.

Neill Blomkamp directed Gran Turismo from a screenplay by Jason Hall and Zach Baylin, based on Polyphony Digital’s series of racing simulation video games. The film stars Archie Madekwe., David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Darren Barnet, Emelia Hartford, Geri Halliwell Horner, and Djimon Hounsou.

5. Oppenheimer

• Week Seven
• Weekend: $7 million
• Total: $310 million
  

During World War II, Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves Jr. appoints physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to work on the top-secret Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer and a team of scientists spend years developing and designing the atomic bomb. Their work comes to fruition on July 16, 1945, as they witness the world’s first nuclear explosion, forever changing the course of history.

Christopher Nolan wrote and directed Oppenheimer based on the American Prometheus, the 2005 biography written by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. The film stars Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Tom Conti, and Kenneth Branagh.

6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

• Week Five
• Weekend: $6.3 million
  
• Total: $107.99 million

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem marks the latest movie in the long-running media franchise, and a new reboot for four turtle brothers. Seth Rogen produced the movie, and lends his voice to its huge ensemble cast. In the film, the titular heroes venture out into the real world after years of living isolated in the sewers. Though they try to be recognized as normal teenagers by their heroics, a crime syndicate with an army of mutants makes everything more difficult for them and threatens their plans for joining society. The voice cast for the film includes Micah Abbey as Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo, and Brady Noon as Raphael. TMNT: Mutant Mayhem includes a slew of celebrities as well like Ayo Edebiri as April O’Neil, Jackie Chan as Splinter, Seth Rogen as Bebop, John Cena as Rocksteady, Ice Cube as Superfly, Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman, Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko, and Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem opened in theaters on August 2nd.

7. The Meg 2: The Trench

• Week Five
• Weekend: $4 million
• Total: $79.4 million
  

Jonas Taylor leads a research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitted against colossal, prehistoric sharks and relentless environmental plunderers, they must outrun, outsmart and outswim their merciless predators.

Ben Wheatley directed The Meg 2: The Trench from a screenplay by Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, and Dean Georgaris, based on Steve Alten’s 1999 novel The Trench. It stars Jason Statham, Wu Jing, Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Skyler Samuels, and Cliff Curtis.

8. Bottoms

• Week Two
• Weekend: $3.78 million
• Total: $4.5 million

Unpopular best friends PJ and Josie start a high school fight club to meet girls and lose their virginity. They soon find themselves in over their heads when the most popular students start beating each other up in the name of self-defense.

Emma Seligman directed Strays from a script co-written with Rachel Sennott. The film stars Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine, Miles Fowler, Dagmara Domińczyk, and Marshawn Lynch. 

9. Strays

• Week Three
• Weekend: $3.1 million
• Total: $21.3 million
  

Abandoned on the mean city streets by his lowlife owner, Doug, a naive but lovable dog named Reggie falls in with a fast-talking, foul-mouthed Boston Terrier and his gang of strays. Determined to seek revenge, Reggie and his new canine pals embark on an epic adventure to get him home and make Doug pay for his dirty deed.

Josh Greenbaum directed Strays from a screenplay by Dan Perrault. It stars Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Will Forte, Isla Fisher, Randall Park, Harvey Guillén, Rob Riggle, Brett Gelman, Jamie Demetriou and Sofía Vergara.

10. Talk to Me

• Week Six
• Weekend: $1.95 million
• Total: $44.2 million

When a group of friends discovers how to conjure spirits by using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill — until one of them unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.

Danny and Michael Philippou directed Talk to Me from a screenplay Danny Philippou co-wrote with Bill Hinzman, based on a concept from Daley Pearson. It stars Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji, and Miranda Otto.