Resident Evil has hit the ground running in its box office opening as the reboot reaches unprecedented heights for the franchise.
Writer-director Zach Cregger‘s horror-survival video game adaptation grossed $26.3 million on Friday, including $8.8 million in Thursday previews. Sony Pictures now expects a launch in the $53 million to $55 million range for its three-day opening weekend, but it could get closer to an eye-popping $60 million. Earning a B+ CinemaScore from audiences, the movie is debuting far above the $40 million that the studio had initially projected. Resident Evil opened in 3,684 North American theaters and carries a $75 million production budget.
The new Resident Evil is heading toward the highest-grossing opening in the history of the franchise that kicked off with director Paul W.S. Anderson’s 2002 movie of the same name. Milla Jovovich starred in that film and five sequels before the 2021 reboot, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which underperformed. The series’ previous titles have collectively grossed more than $1.2 billion worldwide.
Cregger’s hot streak continues, as Resident Evil is set for his biggest opening ever, besting the impressive $43.5 million debut weekend for his previous title, the Oscar-winning Weapons, which Warner Bros. released in August 2025. Hailing from TriStar Pictures, Constantin Film and Davis Film, Resident Evil stars Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Paul Walter Hauser in the story of a medical courier (Abrams) attempting to deliver a precious item in the midst of a deadly viral outbreak in Raccoon City.
The new Resident Evil is also giving Cregger his best-reviewed title yet, becoming the first installment in the franchise to impress critics. This one holds a 96 percent approval rating from reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the year’s top-reviewed horror release, along with a 92 percent audience score. In his review for The Hollywood Reporter, critic Frank Scheck noted that Cregger “crafted a propulsive, simultaneously terrifying and hilarious thrill ride that showcases both his cinematic chops and perverse sense of humor.”
Conjuring up a second-place finish is the sophomore frame for Warner Bros.’ Practical Magic 2, which is set to collect around $10.4 million from the weekend to bring its domestic total to roughly $42 million. Starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, the sequel to the 1998 original looks to decline around 65 percent.
Having recently hit No. 1 on the all-time domestic chart, Sony’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings to third place with $6.3 million for a North American total of $944.3 million from its record-setting run.
More to come.
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