Denzel Washington has never made a sequel before The Equalizer 2, and his first swing at making a follow-up movie is a hit. Denzel's film opened this weekend along with another sequel, Mamma Mia!: Here We Go Again. Washington's action thriller was able to claim the top spot over the musical comedy. According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Equalizer 2 is estimated to pull in $35.8 million domestically over the weekend. The numbers may shift by Monday morning, but at the moment, Mamma Mia!: Here We Go Again is projected to make about $1 million less than Denzel's sequel.
The Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua team up marks the fourth time the duo has worked together. Fuqua also directed the first Equalizer, The Magnificent Seven, and the classic Training Day. Equalizer 2 is outperforming expectations, much like its predecessor did. The sequel is Fuqua's highest grossing domestic opening, and the success of the franchise may mean further expansion. The Equalizer 2 follows Robert McCall, a vigilante who seeks revenge on a criminal outfit that murders his friend. In a movie world where superheroes with amazing powers and endless money reign supreme, an epic vigilante story about a regular guy is refreshing. Denzel presumably has only a week to be the top action star, as Tom Cruise and Henry Cavill will rush into the mayhem with Mission Impossible: Fallout next weekend.
