Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham‘s Franchise Struggles with Weak Box Office Debut for Expendables 4 Weekend Earnings

Expendables 4 Opens Weak with $8-10 Million Weekend

^{Credit: Google | Expendables 4}

In a weekend already marked by box office struggles, the highly anticipated ‘Expendables 4‘ made a lackluster debut, earning a mere $8-10 million. This disappointing performance marks a new low for the iconic action franchise, which had initially set its sights on a more promising opening of $15-17 million.

Millennium Media and Lionsgate are rolling out the latest in their long-in-the-tooth Sylvester Stallone-Jason Statham franchise, #Expend4bles, to a weekend take between $15 million-$17 million https://t.co/oOhYqAo8Cn
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) September 20, 2023

With a budget of $100 million, the film had anticipated drawing audiences back with the return of beloved action stars, including Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, and Randy Couture. Alongside these familiar faces, the movie introduced fresh talent such as Megan Fox, 50 Cent, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, and Andy Gracia, promising a blend of the old and new.

Despite a nearly decade-long hiatus since the last installment, the first three ‘Expendables‘ films, released in 2010, 2012, and 2014, collectively amassed an impressive $800 million worldwide. The 2014 release earned $15.8 million during its opening weekend and ultimately grossed $214 million globally. The original film in 2010 opened at $34.8 million, while the 2012 sequel debuted with $28.5 million.

However, ‘Expendables 4‘ found itself struggling both critically and at the box office. A review from The Hollywood Reporter labeled it as a subpar Jason Statham vehicle and suggested it might be time to retire the franchise.

To compound the weekend’s challenges, Sony released ‘Dumb Money‘, a film inspired by the GameStop stock market saga, featuring an ensemble cast that includes Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Shailene Woodley, and Pete Davidson. While Sony hopes for awards season recognition, the film faces stiff competition in a crowded market.

Other contenders in the box office race include New Line/Warner’s ‘The Nun II‘, which continues to perform strongly in its third weekend with earnings surpassing $160 million. Additionally, Disney’s ‘A Haunting in Venice’, the third entry in Kenneth Branagh’s Agatha Christie-inspired series, is entering its second weekend.

As ‘Expendables 4’ grapples with a less-than-enthusiastic response on social media, where pre-release awareness levels lagged 22% behind genre averages, it seems to find a more favorable reception among a global audience, despite mixed critical feedback.

Amid ongoing industry challenges and strikes, the film’s fate raises questions about the sustainability of aging franchises in an increasingly dynamic entertainment landscape. As the weekend unfolds, all eyes remain on the box office, waiting to see if any film can provide the spark needed to revitalize theaters.