‘Expend4bles’ Struggles to Make a Splash at the Domestic Box Office

The Bigger Picture

In the world of action-packed sequels, the fourth installment of the Expendables franchise, aptly titled “Expend4bles,” seems to be having a rather underwhelming debut at the domestic box office. Initial estimates suggest that it’s poised to kick off with a lackluster $8 million, indicating a sharp decline in the series’ popularity.

While the Expendables franchise has historically fared better on the international stage, a combination of negative reviews and waning interest may further dampen the film’s performance, despite the noticeable drop in revenue it has seen over the years.

Meanwhile, “The Nun II” continues its impressive run, potentially clinching the top spot at the weekend box office for the third consecutive week. Projections put its weekend earnings at a solid $7.5 million, with its global box office tally soaring past the $200 million mark.

As Hollywood awaits the resolution of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, studios that have been reluctant to compensate their artists fairly are going ahead with movie releases, albeit without the star power to promote them. “The Nun II” and “The Equalizer 3” managed to pull off successful debuts recently, but the fourth Expendables installment, stylized as “Expend4bles,” appears to be heading for an all-time low in the franchise, with a single-digit opening. Released nearly a decade after the previous entry in the action-packed series, “Expend4bles” managed to rake in $3 million on its opening Friday, including $750,000 from Thursday previews, and is anticipated to achieve an underwhelming three-day debut of roughly $8 million.

The Expendables franchise has always found a more receptive audience overseas. Despite the visible decline in revenue over the years, there’s still hope that international viewers will turn up for the movie, even in the face of unfavorable reviews and a general lack of enthusiasm. The film received a lukewarm B- CinemaScore from audiences on its opening day, but its Rotten Tomatoes score currently sits at a “rotten” 16%. Chase Hutchinson of FilmSweep went so far as to label it the “worst” entry in the franchise, a movie with “plenty of cheese but no charm or craftsmanship.”

The Expendables franchise, originally led by Sylvester Stallone, started as a tongue-in-cheek showcase for veteran action stars and enjoyed substantial success initially. The first installment, released in 2010, grossed a hefty $103 million domestically and an impressive $268 million worldwide. Just two years later, “The Expendables 2” followed suit, garnering $85 million domestically and over $310 million globally. However, “The Expendables 3,” released in 2014 and plagued by an early piracy leak, concluded its domestic run with less than $40 million but managed to amass $209 million worldwide.

Currently, on this weekend’s box office chart, the top four movies are all sequels, a testament to the enduring appeal of franchise films. “The Nun II” might temporarily cede its top position but remains a strong contender with a domestic haul inching closer to the $70 million milestone. Globally, it’s on track to breach the $200 million mark this weekend, bringing it in line with several other successful entries in the Conjuring Universe, although it still lags behind “The Nun,” which collected over $150 million more in 2018.

Sliding into the third spot after a lackluster debut last weekend is director-star Kenneth Branagh’s “A Haunting in Venice,” which garnered $1.7 million on its opening Friday. The third installment in Branagh’s Hercule Poirot murder mystery series is expected to pull in around $5.5 million in its second weekend, pushing its total domestic earnings just shy of $25 million. Sadly, the film seems destined to become the lowest-grossing entry in the series, which was already facing a downward trajectory after last year’s “Death on the Nile” underperformed significantly against its hefty $90 million budget.

The fourth position goes to another sequel, “The Equalizer 3,” which brought in $1.3 million on its fourth Friday. This action-packed flick is eyeing a weekend earning of just under $5 million, pushing its cumulative domestic total beyond the $80 million mark by Sunday. However, it needs to reach over $101 million to avoid becoming the lowest-grossing installment in the series, a challenging feat considering the near-identical earnings of the first two movies in their respective box office runs.

Rounding out the top five is “Barbie,” maintaining a respectable position despite being available on digital platforms and having graced theaters for a solid two months. This blockbuster is set to add $3.5 million to its impressive tally this weekend, thanks in part to its IMAX screenings.

Keep your eyes peeled on FilmSweep for more updates on the ever-shifting landscape of the box office this weekend. The battle of the sequels continues, with surprises lurking around every corner!

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