For comparison, the first opus which dates from 2010 started at $34.8 million; the sequel (2012) at $28.5 million; the third film (2014) at $15.8 million (note that the film had been widely pirated before its official release).
Expendables, a saga designed for the international market?
However, the franchise's strength is overseas, where all three installments have grossed at least $200 million worldwide. Expend4bles, which reportedly had a production budget of around $100 million, has already debuted in China, grossing $10.9 million. Even if the first feedback is not very favorable (as usual, that said...), this fourth opus with the new guys (50 Cent, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran and Andy Garcia) and the regulars of the franchise (Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture), should still do very well at the box office. In France, the film will be released on October 11. Source: Variety