The Equalizer 3’s Labor Day opening weekend ranks second in all-time thanks to Denzel Washington

Veteran actors are demonstrating that they still have it in the box office draw department. The Equalizer 3, which was starred by Oscar-winner and your favorite actor’s favorite actor Denzel Washington, took home the top prize at the box office over the Labor Day holiday weekend.

The third entry of the Equalizer franchise will have the second-highest Labor Day opening weekend of all time with Sony anticipating a four-day total of $42 million, including Labor Day.

With $94.6 million over four days, Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings remains the indisputable Labor Day box office champion, even though this holiday is not traditionally associated with a significant box office weekend, like Memorial Day or Christmas.

The Equalizer 3 has received positive reviews from reviewers and viewers alike, demonstrating Washington’s A-list credentials at a time when other actors of his caliber are having trouble. Consider the earlier sequels to popular franchises from fellow Big Stars Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones 4) and Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible 7), both of which descended into box office obscurity.

Through Sunday, The Equalizer 3 earned $26.1 million internationally for a three-day total of $60.6 million.

The third installment of the Antoine Fuqua-directed franchise sees ex-CIA agent Robert McCall (Washington) in Italy, tangles with the Mafia, and gets down to the violent business of equalizing. It reunites the Man on Fire protagonists Washington and Dakota Fanning.

“I believe this would be it. We’ve both talked about it that way. But you never know!” Fuqua said of doing a fourth film, adding that it’s ultimately up to Washington. “Obviously, if he wanted to do another one, I would as well, but I don’t see it. But who knows?”

The Barbie train continues to run despite being in second place at the box office. The Greta Gerwig movie, which is currently in its 7th week of distribution, is expected to earn $13.8 million over the holiday weekend, taking its domestic gross to $612.7 million overall.

Barbie has finally surpassed The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s $1.36 billion global total, surpassing it after doing so domestically two weeks ago. Barbie now has the title of the highest-grossing film of 2023. The pink-out phenomenon is also the highest-grossing film in Warner Bros.’s entire 100-year history.

In its third week of release, Blue Beetle is still generating attention. It is expected to earn $9.4 million through Monday for a domestic cume of $58.8 million ($101.9 million globally, through Sunday).

In just its second week of availability, Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story began to falter, falling to fourth position after just barely taking the top spot the week before. The racing movie struggled to a predicted $8.5 million through Monday, bringing its domestic gross to $30.6 million ($79 million worldwide).

The final film in the top 5 was Oppenheimer, which finished with a projected $7.2 million during the long weekend. By Monday, it will have earned an incredible $310.3 million during its seven weeks in theaters.

With a worldwide revenue of $851.3 million, the WWII movie overtook Inception to become director Christopher Nolan’s third-highest-grossing film, behind The Dark Knight Rises and The Dark Knight. The movie maintained No. 2 status internationally.