‘Resident Evil’ Box Office Tracking Indicates Franchise-Record International Debut

Tena Milakovic
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Zach Cregger has swiftly established himself as a prominent figure in modern horror, transforming both ‘Barbarian’ and his Oscar-winning hit ‘Weapons’ into box office successes fueled by word-of-mouth rather than franchise recognition. His latest endeavor marks his first attempt at adapting established source material, with the stakes heightened due to the series’ historically inconsistent performance overseas.

This project is ‘Resident Evil,’ Cregger’s reimagining of the long-standing Capcom video game franchise, which is now beginning its staggered international rollout ahead of its wide domestic release this weekend. According to Deadline’s latest box office preview, the film is projected to achieve a global opening weekend of around $80 million, with Sony’s international markets expected to contribute approximately $23 million to $24 million of that total.

Early tracking data from industry analysts suggests that the film’s performance in its initial overseas markets has been particularly promising. Figures from box office tracker Box Office Forecast indicate that ‘Resident Evil’ is performing well in Indonesia and France compared to Cregger’s own ‘Weapons,’ and it is also surpassing the performance of 2021’s franchise entry ‘Resident Evil: The Final Chapter’ in Indonesia, with projections suggesting a global opening in the range of $90 million.

This early momentum is crucial, given the franchise’s inconsistent box office history. The original ‘Resident Evil’ film series, featuring Milla Jovovich, grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide across seven films. However, Sony’s recent reboot attempt, 2021’s ‘Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City,’ was both a critical and commercial failure, earning only $42 million worldwide against a $25 million budget.

Every original entry in the franchise opened in the $20 million range domestically, unadjusted for inflation, making Cregger’s film a notable deviation from that trend if current tracking holds. Sony has divided its international distribution among various partners, with Constantin managing German-speaking markets and Metropolitan overseeing French-speaking territories, covering a total of 62 offshore markets.

Screenshot 2026 09 17 at 08 57 36 Resident Evil 2026 Rotten Tomatoes

Part of the stronger-than-expected tracking can be attributed to the film’s critical reception. After 91 reviews, ‘Resident Evil’ boasts a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the best-reviewed entry in the franchise’s 24-year history. This critical acclaim, combined with Cregger’s dedicated fanbase from ‘Barbarian’ and ‘Weapons,’ provides the film with a unique appeal that is uncommon for video game adaptations.

The film reunites Cregger with ‘Weapons’ star Austin Abrams, who portrays Bryan, a medical courier caught in a chaotic viral outbreak in Raccoon City, alongside Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry, and Kali Reis. Production costs are reported to be around $75 million, which is significantly higher than Cregger’s previous films but still modest compared to the box office potential analysts are now forecasting.

‘Resident Evil’ is set to officially open in approximately 3,000 domestic locations on September 18, with additional international markets continuing to roll out through October. Thailand, the CIS region, and South Africa are scheduled to open the following weekend, while Japan, historically one of the franchise’s strongest markets, will follow on October 9. China, which has traditionally performed well for the franchise, will open at a later, yet-to-be-determined date.

Historically, the franchise’s top-performing markets have included Japan, Germany, Mexico, France, Taiwan, Spain, South Korea, the UK, Italy, Thailand, Brazil, and Australia. With the reboot’s positive early tracking in some of these territories, Sony seems poised to finally achieve the global consistency this franchise has sought for over two decades.

Domestically, even a more conservative $40 million opening would still set a record for the franchise, comfortably exceeding the previous high of $26.6 million set by 2010’s ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife.’ Coupled with the unexpectedly strong early results overseas, this weekend appears to be a pivotal moment for a franchise that has long sought consistent box office success on a global scale.

With final numbers pending as the film’s full international rollout unfolds, all indications currently suggest that Cregger may deliver the franchise’s most commercially successful entry to date.

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