Lionsgate and Millenium’s “Expendables 4” has made its theater debut with a Thursday night gross of $750,000, but it appears the film is on track to become the lowest-performing installment in the franchise.
With a budget of $100 million, the movie, financed by Millenium, initially aimed for an opening in the $15 million range, with some optimistic estimates even reaching $17 million. However, early results suggest it is more likely to land in the $8 million to $10 million range.
The film sees the return of Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, and Randy Couture to the action-packed franchise. The official synopsis describes the movie as follows: “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.” The cast includes newcomers like Megan Fox, 50 Cent, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, and Andy Gracia.
It’s been nearly a decade since the last Expendables film hit theaters. The first three entries, released in 2010, 2012, and 2014, collectively earned an impressive $800 million worldwide. The most recent installment, released in 2014, opened with $15.8 million and eventually reached $214 million globally. The original in 2010 debuted with $34.8 million, while the sequel in 2012 started with $28.5 million.
However, the film has received less-than-glowing reviews, with one from THR stating, “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 cast members who fail to make much of an impression—indicates that it’s time to put a fork in the series; it’s done.”
In other releases, Sony is launching the awards hopeful “Dumb Money” in limited release. Directed by Craig Gillespie, known for “I, Tonya,” the film delves into the GameStop stock market story that grabbed headlines during the COVID-19 pandemic and sparked interest in Hollywood. The ensemble cast includes Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Shailene Woodley, and Pete Davidson.
Box office holdovers include New Line/Warner’s “The Nun II,” which enters its third weekend with over $160 million in earnings, and Disney and Kenneth Branagh’s “A Haunting in Venice,” the third installment in his Agatha Christie-inspired film series, now in its second weekend.
