Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ Turns Sony’s Cursed Franchise Into a Box Office Hit
For 24 years, ‘Resident Evil’ has been one of Hollywood’s most unusual success stories. Despite most films in the series receiving negative reviews from critics, the franchise has grossed over $1.2 billion. The original film, directed by Paul W.S. Anderson in 2002, concluded its theatrical run with approximately $103 million worldwide.
The latest reboot attempt did not fare well. Released in 2021, ‘Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City’ opened to $5.3 million and finished with $42 million globally on a $25 million budget. Sony’s new venture, arriving five years later, seemed like a gamble.
However, it has proven to be a significant success. Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ has now grossed over $245 million worldwide and is projected to finish between $320 million and $340 million. The film had a production cost of $75 million, and a tweet paired these impressive figures with an image of a man in a mustard-colored beanie.
According to the numbers tracker The Numbers, the film stands at $245.4 million, with around $125 million from domestic markets and $120.5 million from international audiences. This amounts to approximately 3.3 times its production budget. Earlier reports from Koimoi indicated that the film had already surpassed its estimated $187.5 million break-even point.
The projected earnings are significant as they could surpass previous records. The highest-grossing ‘Resident Evil’ film to date is ‘The Final Chapter,’ which earned $312.2 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. If Cregger’s film lands in the $320 million to $340 million range, it would set a new franchise benchmark.
The film has been breaking records since its release. It debuted on September 18, earning $60 million domestically and $108.3 million worldwide, both of which are franchise bests. This was well above the initial tracking range of $40 million to $50 million.
The momentum continued as the film maintained a $23 million second weekend, with a 61.7% drop, becoming the first ‘Resident Evil’ movie to surpass $100 million domestically. It reached $200 million worldwide after just two weeks, the fastest in franchise history.
Critical reception has played a significant role in this success. The film boasts a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a B+ CinemaScore, making it the highest-rated film based on a video game on both Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic.
Cregger co-wrote the script with Shay Hatten and included Austin Abrams, who starred in his previous hit ‘Weapons.’ Abrams portrays Bryan, a medical courier navigating a viral outbreak in Raccoon City. The cast also features Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser.
Critics have particularly praised Abrams. Empire labeled it the best ‘Resident Evil’ movie to date, while The Film Maven commended its concise, thrilling, and humorous take on the game’s formula. However, both noted some flaws, including a second act that leans too heavily into comedy and a somewhat clumsy third act.
Cregger has built considerable goodwill with ‘Barbarian’ and ‘Weapons.’ The latter opened to just over $42 million in August 2025 and ultimately grossed $270 million worldwide on a $38 million budget. ‘Resident Evil’ marks his most significant opening to date.
The first trailer for Zach Cregger’s ‘RESIDENT EVIL’ has been released.
In theaters on September 18. https://t.co/eeVCAGzy6M— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 30, 2026
There may be more to anticipate. As of its second weekend, ‘Resident Evil’ had not yet opened in China or Japan, two historically significant markets. One analyst noted that the film was nearing $200 million worldwide without contributions from either region.
This is why the $320 million to $340 million projection appears realistic. Domestically, the film is also the highest-grossing ‘Resident Evil’ movie in North America.
For a franchise that has often been regarded as a punchline, this turnaround is nothing short of remarkable.
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