Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ Surpasses Expectations With $53M-$60M Opening Weekend

Avatar photoValentina Kraljik
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Typically, studio box office forecasts are adjusted downward once a film premieres, but occasionally a release defies expectations and prompts analysts to raise their projections. This is precisely the scenario Sony is experiencing this weekend with its latest horror franchise reboot.

What began as a cautiously optimistic estimate has transformed into one of the most remarkable overperformance stories of the year, with new figures emerging quicker than anticipated. The magnitude of this shift has surprised even veteran box office analysts.

‘Resident Evil’ is exceeding expectations and is now projected to earn between $53 million and $60 million during its domestic opening weekend, as reported by The Hollywood Handle. This marks both the highest opening in the franchise’s history and the best of Zach Cregger’s career. The revised estimates represent a substantial increase from Sony’s initial forecast of around $40 million prior to the release.

The previous record for domestic openings was held by 2010’s ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife,’ which debuted with $26.6 million. Remarkably, this reboot’s single opening day total of $26.3 million nearly matched that figure. This opening day included $8.8 million from Thursday preview screenings, setting a franchise record before the weekend officially commenced.

In contrast, the most recent entry, ‘Welcome to Raccoon City,’ opened to a mere $5.32 million, highlighting the significant turnaround this new release represents. This weekend’s opening alone is on track to exceed the entire lifetime domestic gross of several earlier films in the series combined.

This achievement marks Cregger’s strongest domestic launch to date, surpassing his 2025 film ‘Weapons,’ which opened to $43.5 million domestically and ultimately grossed $270 million worldwide. Prior to that, his 2022 breakout ‘Barbarian’ established him as a filmmaker capable of transforming modestly budgeted horror into major theatrical successes.

Taking charge of an established franchise with a $75 million budget posed a different kind of challenge for Cregger, focusing on proving his ability to deliver at a larger studio scale rather than with original concepts. Early results indicate that he has successfully met this challenge, with industry observers increasingly recognizing him as one of the most dependable directors currently working in the horror genre.

Screenshot 2026 09 18 at 08 18 54 Resident Evil 2026 Rotten Tomatoes

Audience reception has mirrored the box office success, with the film achieving a B+ CinemaScore, the highest rating any ‘Resident Evil’ film has received in the franchise’s history. PostTrak data indicated a 70% definite recommend score overall, rising to 75% among men over 25, while 52% of ticket buyers made same-day walk-up purchases.

This combination of strong reviews and record-breaking numbers suggests that the film’s success is not merely due to a built-in fanbase turnout. Instead, word-of-mouth appears to be enhancing the momentum, a trend that bodes well for the film’s performance in the weeks following its debut.

With the film’s $75 million budget already well within reach after just one weekend, Sony now has a compelling commercial case for continuing the franchise under Cregger’s direction. The reboot’s domestic-first success also signifies a notable shift for a series that has historically relied more heavily on international box office than U.S. ticket sales, with the franchise’s original run spanning 24 years and multiple lead actors before this relaunch.

As final weekend numbers are tallied over the coming days, ‘Resident Evil’ appears poised to conclude the weekend as one of the biggest horror surprises of the year. The film has also comfortably outperformed its closest rival, with ‘Practical Magic 2’ estimated to earn between $13 million and $15 million.

This significant gap between first and second place further emphasizes how dominant this opening has become in relation to the current theatrical landscape. For a franchise that many believed had reached its conclusion after years of declining returns, this weekend’s figures suggest ‘Resident Evil’ may have discovered new life at just the right moment.

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