‘The Expendables 3’ May Open To Franchise Low, But Don’t Blame The Online Leak

The Expendables 3 is looking to have the worst opening for the franchise that features veteran action stars such as Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jet Li.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Expendables 3 had midnight premieres in 2,200 theaters nationwide, but it only gathered a total of $875,000. And, by the looks of it, the film may not cross the $20 million mark in its debut weekend.

2010’s Expendables earned $34.8 million during its opening weekend, while The Expendables 2 opened to $28.6 million in 2012. The first film had a worldwide total of $274.4 million, according to Box Office Mojo, and the second earned $305.4 million worldwide.

As The Inquisitr previously reported, a DVD-quality copy of The Expendables 3 leaked online weeks before its theatrical release. The film has been downloaded by 2.2 million people, and Lionsgate followed through with a temporary restraining order on six torrent sites and 10 users who were unnamed.

Many reports questioned how the leak may have a negative impact on the box office results for The Expendables 3. However, Business Insider columnist Brett Arnold said that while many studies have come to the conclusion that piracy can harm a film, it would be a “fool’s errand” to prove if that is entirely true.

“There are just as many articles citing the exact opposite as being true,” Arnold wrote.

Many things go into how a movie performs during its theatrical run, including the cast; how it fares with critics; advertisement; and even weather in certain locations, Arnold continued. And those are just the “obvious factors”; there is an “impossible” amount to consider.

“There is so much variance here that any speculation as to how the leak will impact The Expendables 3 box office is simply that — speculation,” he wrote.

Arnold added that he doesn’t believe this leak will hurt The Expendables 3 “in the long run,” and he mentioned that even though X-Men Origins: Wolverine was leaked in 2009, but it wound up having an $85 million weekend and a $373 worldwide gross.

“The people who illegally download movies are not the general movie-going public,” he wrote. “There are plenty of exceptions, but for the most part, torrent users are opportunists who watch what they watch simply because it’s available and free.”

Arnold mentions that since The Expendables 3 has a “broad enough” audience, and the first two films weren’t exactly big box office draws in the U.S., he believes the film’s leak “is all the more irrelevant.”

“Prepare for the onslaught of entertainment blog guesswork this weekend as The Expendables 3 box office figures start rolling in, and be sure to take it all with a grain of salt,” he wrote.

Do you think the leak will harm The Expendables 3?

[Image credit: Lionsgate Films via Teaser Trailer]