On this week’s LOS FANBOYS Podcast, LRM’s resident Weekend Warrior and all-around film guru Edward Douglas predicted that The Magnificent Seven was going to have a stellar debut. It looks like he was spot on, as the western had a strong night during Thursday previews with a haul of $1.75 Million.

That may not sound like a lot when you consider the kind of money that superhero blockbusters tend to make in Thursday previews, but The Magnificent Seven comes with a totally different set of expectations. The PG-13 film carries a price tag of only $90 Million, so it’s not going to need to do superhero numbers in order to hit big. 

The $1.75 Million it brought in last night, coupled with impressive pre-sales- which are the highest of star Denzel Washington’s storied career- have people predicting a stellar $30+ Million debut this weekend. With a haul like that it’ll definitely topple the reigning box office champ Sully, which was directed by legendary former gunslinger Clint Eastwood, and be on its way to a very good run.

READ ALSO: “THE LRM Interview: Byung-Hun Lee On Playing THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN’s Billy Rocks.”

The Magnificent Seven will also likely be aided by generally positive reviews and the fact that the property has a long, storied history. Antoine Fuqua’s film is a remake of a beloved classic from 1960, which itself was a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai. Fans across several continents and several generations have appreciated the premise of seven elite warriors coming together to defend a village from cruel, ruthless villains. 

Fuqua’s take, as Douglas told us on the podcast, is closer to Kurosawa’s film than the John Sturges western. His approach has been said to make the new The Magnificent Seven a satisfying reimagining of the story that unfortunately misses some of the fun associated with the Sturges film. 

The Magnificent Seven currently sits at 62% on Rotten Tomatoes with 142 reviews tallied.

READ ON: “The Weekend Warrior 9/23/2016: The Magnificent Seven, Storks”

The Magnificent Seven boasts a fantastic cast that should appeal to fans both young and old. We’re talking about Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Peter Sarsgaard, Vincent D’Onofrio, Hayley Bennett, Byung-hun Lee, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and Matt Bomer.

SOURCE: Variety