The studio is making a major investment in Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil, and the early indications point to a favorable outcome. The horror-survival remake is set to launch in around 3,500 North American theaters on Friday, with Sony Pictures estimating a three-day opening take of $40 million. If accurate, that figure would represent the largest opening in the franchise’s history.
Sony’s own forecast matches third-party tracking services, which have recently raised their projections as interest grows, placing the opening at $50 million or more. The film has a production cost of $75 million.
The Numbers Behind the Opening
A $40 million debut would top the franchise’s prior best start. The series’ previous titles have collectively grossed more than $1.2 billion worldwide.
TriStar Pictures, Constantin Film and Davis Film bring Resident Evil to audiences. The cast features Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Paul Walter Hauser, with Abrams taking on the role of a medical courier who must deliver a valuable package while a deadly virus sweeps through Raccoon City.
Cregger has kept up a winning run on screen, with his most recent release being the horror film Weapons, an Oscar winner from Warner Bros. that arrived in theaters last summer. The film followed his well-received Barbarian.
The Long Road to the Big Screen
The Resident Evil video game series began in 1996, and its live-action adaptations soon followed. The first adaptation arrived in 2002, helmed by Paul W.S. Anderson, with Milla Jovovich taking on the lead role.
That film opened to $17.7 million domestically and went on to surpass $100 million globally throughout its run. Jovovich starred in five sequels before Kaya Scodelario led the 2021 reboot attempt Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which underperformed at the box office.
What Reviewers Are Saying
The Resident Evil films have rarely earned warm critical reception, but the newest installment breaks that pattern. It has gathered a 96 percent approval rating from reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
Frank Scheck’s review for The Hollywood Reporter remarks that Cregger “crafted a propulsive, simultaneously terrifying and hilarious thrill ride that showcases both his cinematic chops and perverse sense of humor.”, according to the writer.
Cregger’s Confidence
Cregger told THR at the Los Angeles premiere that he had high hopes for the movie’s reception. “I felt pretty confident,” the director said. “We’ll see. Maybe I’m delusional, but I don’t think so. I’ve seen the movie, and I like it.”
A Quiet Weekend in Contrast
This weekend provides a jolt to the early days of fall. Last weekend saw Warner Bros.’ Practical Magic 2 take the top spot in a subdued debut that ended Sony’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s six-weekend winning streak.
This week, the Spidey film starring Tom Holland moved up to No. 1 on the all-time domestic chart, surpassing Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens in the process.
The Competition This Weekend
GKIDS is also bringing the stop-motion sequel Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom to wide release in U.S. theaters.
What Comes Next for the Franchise
Here’s how the figures stack up:
- A $40 million opening would top the franchise’s prior best start.
- The series’ previous titles have collectively grossed more than $1.2 billion worldwide.
- The film’s production cost is $75 million.
- Third-party tracking services now place the opening at $50 million or more.
A figure of $40 million serves as an initial estimate, not a promise. The film’s strong reviews, a broad rollout, and a franchise track record that includes a $100 million global total give this reboot a chance to exceed what came before it.
There is an open question about whether audiences align with critics on this film. Its approval rating sits at 96 percent, which gives it a real shot at appealing to viewers regardless of what critics say.
“We’ll see. Maybe I’m delusional, but I don’t think so.”
That’s Cregger’s own assessment, and it captures the tension between confidence and uncertainty that defines any opening weekend. The numbers are on the table, and the industry is watching.
There is reason for optimism now, and the franchise warrants a clean slate following a long stretch of inconsistent outcomes.
Source material: “‘Resident Evil’ Racing Toward Healthy Box Office Haul for Zach Cregger’s Reboot,” The Hollywood Reporter.
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