A vigilante Denzel Washington may be no match for the brute force of ABBA and Cher at the box office.
Universal Pictures is turning up the Europop again at the multiplex with its sequel to "Mamma Mia," the star-studded jukebox musical that became a runaway hit a decade ago by wooing female audiences.
The knowingly titled "Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again" is poised to gross $30 million to $35 million Friday through Sunday in the U.S. and Canada, according to people who have reviewed pre-release audience surveys.
That probably will be enough to secure the No. 1 domestic chart position, topping Sony Pictures' new "Equalizer 2," an action flick starring Washington, and last weekend's winner, "Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation."
The 2008 original "Mamma Mia" _ featuring Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep and the questionable singing talents of Pierce Brosnan _ became a breakout success by appealing to female audiences whom studios don't normally target during the summer movie season.
It opened with $27 million and ended up with $144 million in the U.S. and Canada, as audiences continued to buy tickets long after its opening. The film also benefited from strong international appeal, especially in Europe. Overseas sales accounted for 76 percent of "Mamma Mia's" $600-million global tally, a pattern that the studio hopes to repeat with the sequel.
"Here We Go Again" brings back the same infectious tunes from the vintage Swedish band, but adds new cast members and a different take on the familiar characters.
Lily James ("Cinderella") debuts as the younger version of Donna, the character played by Streep. Cher joins the cast as Donna's estranged mother. The movie, which filmed in London and Croatia, cost about $75 million to make.
As "Mamma Mia" tries to appeal to women, the Antoine Fuqua-directed "Equalizer 2" will look to slay male audiences at the box office. The follow-up to the violent 2014 Sony picture is expected to collect $25 million to $30 million in its debut.
The original "Equalizer," starring Washington as a retired special ops agent doling out bloody justice, opened with $34 million domestically and ended its run with about $100 million in the U.S. and Canada.
Reviews for the new movie have been tepid, indicated by a 44 percent "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but the studio is hoping that fans of the first movie will return for more action from the well-liked actor.
Meanwhile, horror producer Blumhouse's BH Tilt will release "Unfriended: Dark Web," the sequel to the $1-million social media-infused supernatural thriller that took in a highly profitable $64 million worldwide in 2015.
Like the original, the new movie takes place entirely on a character's computer screen. "Dark Web" is expected to open with $6 million to $8 million, compared with the $16-million launch of the first "Unfriended."
