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Actor Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua have once again secured the bag and proven their prowess after the ‘Equalizer 3’ successful opening weekend.
The Labor Day holiday isn’t normally known for landing record-topping box office numbers, but the third installment of the Equalizer franchise soared to $42.3 million across those four days. It marks the second-biggest Labor Day launch after Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
As summer comes to a close, the financial success of Equalizer 3 also pushed Hollywood’s summer revenue past $4 billion for the first time since the pandemic began, according to Hollywood Reporter.
In Equalizer 3, director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Equalizer) rejoins Denzel Washington, who plays a retired government operative using his skills to help innocent people get justice.
“For me, I think it’s a good way to end it. This is a good swan song. Denzel says it’s his last one as well. You never say never. But it feels like this is it,” Fuqua told NBC News ahead of the Friday premiere.
‘Equalizer 3’ secures the bag with diverse audience
The dynamic duo was expected to only bring in $30 million for the film. Instead, it soared past all previous films in the franchise and with a diverse audience.
The first Equalizer earned $34.1 million on opening weekend, while the second earned $36M. Despite the actors strike, which led to less promotion for the film, the third installment’s $42.3M opening was enjoyed by a diverse mix of moviegoers.
Out of all Friday ticket buyers, 33% were Caucasian, 31% were Black, 20% were Latino and 15% were Asian or another ethnicity.
“I think McCall is more of a common man,” Fuqua said of Denzel’s character in an NBC News interview. “He’s much more like your neighbor. He could be you; he could be me. He’s just sort of a regular guy. What he’s doing for others without fanfare or without recognition, he’s doing it because it’s the right thing to do.”