The Equalizer 3 Box Office Previews Pull in $3.8 Million

The Equalizer 3 is on track for the second-best Labor Day weekend ever at the box office. Director Antoine Fuqua and star Denzel Washington's trilogy capper opened in 3,241 theaters Thursday, starting off with $3.8 million in previews. That's the best of the decade-old reboot franchise: 2014's The Equalizer earned $1.45 million in previews, while 2018's The Equalizer 2 took in $3.1 million. The first two films grossed a respective $192.3 million and $190.4 million worldwide for a combined running total of $382.7 million globally so far. When all is said and done, Fuqua and Washington's Equalizer trilogy will finish past the $500 million mark at the worldwide box office.

Tracking numbers released on Thursday had Equalizer 3 pacing for a projected opening between $28 million to $30 million from Friday to Sunday, and upwards of $33 million to $40 million over the four-day Labor Day weekend. The current holiday record holders are Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ($94.6 million), Rob Zombie's 2007 Halloween reboot ($30.5 million), Crazy Rich Asians ($28.5 million), and 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy ($22.9 million). The Equalizer 3 will take the No. 2 spot on that list.

Sony Pictures describes the threequel: "Since giving up his life as a government assassin, Robert McCall (Washington) has struggled to reconcile the horrific things he's done in the past and finds a strange solace in serving justice on behalf of the oppressed. Finding himself surprisingly at home in Southern Italy, he discovers his new friends are under the control of local crime bosses. As events turn deadly, McCall knows what he has to do: become his friends' protector by taking on the mafia."

Marketing has billed E3 as "the final chapter," but Fuqua has said he's open to a potential Equalizer 4 or a Robert McCall prequel with a digitally de-aged Washington.

"I believe this would be it. We've both talked about it that way. But you never know," Fuqua told EW. "Listen, Denzel's in shape. He's training every day. If you saw him now, it would blow your mind. He's like 60 pounds lighter, even from The Equalizer. He's really healthy. Yeah, it's up to him. Obviously, if he wanted to do another one, I would as well, but I don't see it. But who knows?"

Starring Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, and David Denman, The Equalizer 3 is now playing only in theaters.