Denzel will blow away the competition in The Equalizer 3

Entertainment - Media News Watch originally published at Entertainment - Media News Watch

Denzel Washington stars in his first ever threequel with The Equalizer 3 which is tracking to debut around $30 million.

This Labor Day weekend sees the release of just one new wide entry to theaters with the trilogy capper The Equalizer 3 starring Denzel Washington. The franchise, loosely inspired by the TV show of the same title that aired from 1985-1989 on CBS, was launched on September 26, 2014. It opened with $34.1 millions on its way towards a $101.5 domestic finish ($192.3 worldwide). The sequel to 2018’s The Equalizer, 2 would release on July 20 in a prime summer time slot and open with $36 million, on its way towards a $102 domestic finish ($190.4 worldwide). These numbers are boosted by the fact director Antoine Fuqua keeps budgets low, with each film costing anywhere between $55 and $75 million. The tracking for the film shows it opening around $30 million and since that’s about where the previous two opened, I will stick to that for its three-day take. The film has received some good reviews, including an 8/10 rating from Chris Bumbray. He enjoyed this third installment so much that he hoped that they would reconsider making it the final chapter of the lucrative franchise. The runtime of

The equalizer 3 may also help propel the film to financial glory. It is the shortest of the series at 103 minutes (Equalizer 1 had a runtime 132 minutes, while Equalizer 3 had an 121 minute runtime). The film will also take up most of the PLF screens this weekend, replacing Gran Turismo . And let’s not forget that people love a good revenge movie as we saw John Wick chapter 4 pull $187.1 millions domestically with a $426.5-million worldwide gross. Equalizer3 won’t hit these types of numbers but it does prove that audiences will come out to see quality films, and Equalizer3 is by all accounts quality. Speaking about

Gran Turismo many expect that the based on true story car racing story will have a significant decrease in its second weekend compared to its already lackluster first weekend. The film has a 98% audience rating and an A cinemascore. This means that word-of-mouth for this film should be strong. I saw the film last night in IMAX and I thought it was a great movie. I think it deserved a much better opening weekend. The movie perfectly blended the visual style from the game with the true life story that inspired it. Despite the PG13 rating I thought this was a solid family film. (There is an F bomb, for those who don’t like such things. The story of a child with a dream, who is given a chance to achieve it, is a timeless tale, especially in the hands a talented filmmaker like Neill Blomkamp, and the excellent performances of Archie Madekwe and Dijon Hounsou. Orlando Bloom, David Harbour, and even Ginger Spice Geri Halliwell give a great performance as Jann’s mom. It was so good, I didn’t realize it was her until I read Chris Bumbray 8/10 review! Make the film a must-see in theaters to experience the amazing race car sound mixing and design. Gran Turismo

did decent business during the last week, but it wasn’t nearly as good as Barbie which was in first place Monday and Tuesday. It is therefore likely that Barbie will continue her incredible run with a finish in second place and around $13,000,000 in receipts. This week, the Margot Robbie/ Ryan Gosling film became Warner Bros’ highest grossing film ever. It passed Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 as it passed its $1.342 global gross. I wonder if Warner Bros has rethought their plan to release this film on digital platforms on 5 September, as it seems that there is still plenty of gas left in the tank at the box office. The fourth place should go to DC’s Blue Beagle with about $6-$7million in receipts, as the film struggles for the $100 million mark domestically. I don’t think it will reach that mark when all is said. The movie was not very good, and the audience is telling the studio that by not attending. Even though James Gunn said that

Blue Beetle will feature in his new DCU, I think he needs to cut ties with all previous characters and start fresh with his new Superman. The DCEU and DCU have already caused confusion in the minds of audiences. A new start with the 2025 film Superman Legacy is needed to bring audiences back to one track. Oppenheimer, with an additional $6-$7million, should round out the top five. This Christopher Nolan-directed film has maintained its momentum despite losing its IMAX screens in the big theater chains (the film’s run has been extended on its 70mm IMAX screen) with only small drops from week to week. This shows that it was not just the large screen spectacle that people responded to, but the film itself. As we enter the fall season, where more and more award contenders are released you can expect to see Oppenheimer to continue to be a presence. Universal will not want to lose momentum, as this movie is a real contender to break (or at least tie) the record of most Academy Award nominees (which is currently at 14 for Titanic

, All About EveandLa La Land). Outside of the top five, but worth mentioning is the expansion of Bottoms. The R-rated sex comedies opened on just 10 screens last week and pulled in $461,052, a staggering $46,105 average per screen. If so, let us know in the comments what you plan to see and don’t forget to check back on Saturday when we have a brief update on where the box office numbers are headed. If so, let us know in the comments what you plan on seeing and don’t forget to check back on Saturday when we have a brief update on where the box office numbers are heading.TOP FIVE PREDICTIONSThe Equalizer 3–