Denzel Washington's 'The Equalizer' tops box office

Los Angeles: Hollywood star Denzel Washington brought his might to the box office yet again with his latest action film, 'The Equalizer'.

The R-rated movie, based on the gritty 1985-89 CBS series starring Edward Woodward, topped all other films with an estimated weekend gross of USD 35 million in the US and Canada, reports suggest.

Produced by Sony Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures, the film cost about USD 55 million to make. The studios had predicted a modest USD 25 million to USD 30 million opening.

"From the first minute we saw footage of this film, we knew we had something that was special," said Rory Bruer, distribution president for Sony Pictures.

"It's been a really great weekend."

'The Equalizer' is the latest collaboration between Washington and director Antoine Fuqua, who worked together on the hit 'Training Day'.

The 2001 film, which won Washington an Oscar, topped the box office and grossed USD 22.5 million in its opening weekend.

It went on to take in a total of USD 76.3 million in the US and Canada and more than USD 100 million internationally.