Equalizer Muscles Its Way to the Top

Sony Pictures’ The Equalizer debuted in first place last weekend with a strong start of $34.14 million. The action thriller starring Denzel Washington debuted towards the higher end of expectations, which were lofty, especially for the month of September. Without adjusting for ticket price inflation, The Equalizer delivered the fourth largest opening weekend ever for the month of September behind only 2012’s Hotel Transylvania, 2013’s Insidious Chapter 2 and 2002’s Sweet Home Alabama. The film’s debut represented the third largest opening weekend performance ever for Washington, behind his 2007 American Gangster and 2012 Safe House.

Denzel Washington in The Equalizer. (Photo: Scott Garfield/Sony Pictures)

The Maze Runner placed second with $17.44 million. The young adult adaptation from 20th Century Fox held up relatively well last weekend, as it was down 46 percent from its strong opening weekend start. The Maze Runner has grossed $57.96 million in 10 days and continues to display strong early holding power for a young adult adaptation.

The Boxtrolls was off to a very solid third place start last weekend with $17.28 million. The latest 3D stop motion animated film from Focus Features and Laika debuted a bit above expectations. Compared to previous films from Focus and Laika, The Boxtrolls opened 23 percent ahead of the $14.09 million start of 2012’s ParaNorman and 3 percent ahead of the $16.85 million start of 2009’s Coraline. ParaNorman and Coraline both displayed terrific holding power and going forward The Boxtrolls will hope to accomplish the same.

Warner Bros. Studios’ This Is Where I Leave You finished in fourth with $6.89 million. The modestly budgeted comedy starring Jason Bateman and Tina Fey held up well last weekend, as it was down 40 percent from the previous weekend’s so-so start. This Is Where I Leave You has grossed $22.44 million in 10 days.

Fellow Warner Bros. release Dolphin Tale 2 rounded out the weekend’s top five with $4.79 million. The family film sequel was down 46 percent from the prevous weekend, as the film appears to have taken a bit of a hit from The Boxtrolls arriving in the marketplace. Dolphin Tale 2 has grossed $33.62 million in 17 days. The film is currently running 31 percent behind the $49.04 million 17-day take of 2011’s Dolphin Tale and is displaying significantly softer holding power.

No Good Deed followed in sixth with $4.51 million. Sony’s low-budget thriller starring Idris Elba and Taraji P. Henson was down 54 percent. No Good Deed continues to be very front-loaded, but has still grossed a healthy $46.53 million in 17 days.

Universal Pictures’ A Walk Among the Tombstones was down five spots and a massive 67 percent from its opening weekend with a seventh place take of $4.19 million. Lackluster word of mouth and the new direct competition from The Equalizer both had a negative effect on the Liam Neeson led action thriller. A Walk Among the Tombstones is now running below expectations with a 10-day start of $20.83 million.

Guardians of the Galaxy was down just 28 percent to place in eighth with $3.77 million. In the process, the blockbuster sci-fi superhero film from Disney Entertainment and Marvel Studios surpassed the $318.41 million final unadjusted gross of 2008’s Iron Man. Guardians of the Galaxy has grossed a massive $319.17 million through 59 days of release.

Mark Heckathorn

Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.