Lionsgate and Millenium’s Expendables 4 has hit theaters with $3.2 million in Friday grosses as the movie heads for a franchise-low opening. Friday’s tally includes $750,000 in Thursday evening previews.
The $100 million budgeted film, financed by Millenium, had been looking to open in the $15 million range, with some estimates on the high end placing it closer to $17 million. But early returns, however, now show it coming in around $8 million. The Nun II could even beat it.
Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham return to the blow-em-up franchise, along with alumni Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture. The official synopsis for the film reads: “The Expendables are the world’s last line of defense and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table. But new team members with new styles and tactics are going to give ‘new blood’ a whole new meaning.” Megan Fox, 50 Cent, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Jacob Scipio, and Levy Tran are among the newcomers to the series, along with Andy Gracia.
It has been nearly a decade since the last Expendables film hit theaters. The first three Expendables outings, released in 2010, 2012, and 2014, have collectively grossed an impressive $800 million at the global box office. The 2014 film, the most recent to hit theaters, grossed $15.8 million in its opening weekend and went on to a total of $214 million at the global box office. The 2010 original opened to $34.8 million, while the 2012 sequel bowed at $28.5 million.
The critical reception for film has been less than stellar, with the THR review of the movie reading, “This edition — essentially a sub-par Jason Statham vehicle (after this and Meg 2: The Trench, some quality control might be in order for the actor) featuring a brief appearance by Stallone and several new castmembers who fail to make much of an impression — indicates that it’s time to put a fork in the series; it’s done.”
Elsewhere, Sony rolls out awards hopefully Dumb Money in a limited release. I, Tonya filmmaker Craig Gillespie directed the film about the GameStop stock market story that took news cycles by storm during the COVID-19 pandemic (and inspired several Hollywood projects in the process). Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Shailene Woodley and Pete Davidson are among the stars in the ensemble cast.
Box office holdovers include New Line/Warner’s The Nun II, which is heading into its third weekend with over $160 million in receipts, and Disney and Kenneth Branagh’s A Haunting in Venice, the third installment in his Agatha Christie-inspired movie series, is entering its second weekend.
Pamela McClintock contributed to this report.
Sept. 22, 3:23 p.m. Updated to include new estimates for Expendables 4.
Sept. 23, 9 a.m. Updated to include new estimates for Expendables 4.
This story originally published Sept. 22 at 9:47 a.m.