Resident Evil has returned from the dead with the strongest opening day in the franchise’s history.
Zach Cregger’s reboot earned $26.3 million from 3,684 domestic theaters on Friday, according to TheWrap. That figure includes money earned during Thursday preview screenings.
Scene from the Resident Evil trailer – Sony Pictures Entertainment, YouTube
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The film ultimately collected an estimated $60 million domestically during its opening weekend. It easily surpassed the franchise’s previous opening-weekend record of $26.6 million, set by Resident Evil: Afterlife in 2010.
Its $26.3 million opening day alone nearly matched what Afterlife earned across its entire first weekend.
The reboot added $48.3 million internationally for a franchise-record global debut of $108.3 million, according to Deadline.
Zach Cregger May Be the Bigger Attraction
The results demonstrate the continuing popularity of Capcom’s Resident Evil games. However, the intellectual property alone may not explain the movie’s success.
The franchise’s previous reboot, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, earned only $17 million throughout its domestic theatrical run. Its worldwide total stalled at approximately $42 million.
Cregger’s film surpassed both figures during its opening weekend.
Zach Creggar – BAFTA, YouTube
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That contrast suggests Cregger’s name may have mattered as much as, or perhaps more than, the Resident Evil brand.
The director has built considerable credibility among horror audiences through Barbarian and Weapons. The latter opened with $43.5 million domestically before earning approximately $270 million worldwide.
Resident Evil also surpassed the $70 million global opening of Weapons, giving Cregger another career record.
Sony recognized his rising value before production began. Cregger’s involvement reportedly sparked a bidding war among four studios, including Warner Bros. and Netflix. Sony ultimately secured the project and released it through Columbia Pictures.
Audiences Debate Cregger’s Approach
Word of mouth has been somewhat divided.
Previous Resident Evil movies frequently earned poor critical scores despite the commercial success of the Milla Jovovich series. Cregger’s reboot opened with a 96% critics score and a 91% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
However, Rotten Tomatoes has faced increasing scrutiny over how its scores are interpreted. A high percentage indicates that most critics are broadly positive, but it does not necessarily reflect overwhelming audience enthusiasm.
Scene from the Resident Evil trailer – Sony Pictures Entertainment, YouTube
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Reaction has been more measured on the user-driven review site Criticless. At the time of writing, Resident Evil holds a 65% “Rad” score based on reviews from 71 users.
Several of the most upvoted reviews acknowledge complaints that Cregger’s film is “Resident Evil in name only.” However, those reviewers argue that it remains faithful to the spirit of the games.
Others highlight the movie’s surprising amount of humor while debating whether Cregger overuses it. A common assessment describes the film as an entertaining horror comedy that may disappoint viewers seeking a one-to-one adaptation.
Cregger Revives a Struggling Film Franchise
The film’s success does not mean the Resident Evil name was irrelevant. The games provided Cregger with a recognizable world, an established audience, and decades of brand awareness.
Milla Jovovich in Resident Evil (2002) – Sony Pictures Entertainment, YouTube
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Yet the franchise had already demonstrated that familiarity alone could not guarantee theatrical success. Audiences largely rejected Welcome to Raccoon City, while Netflix canceled its live-action television adaptation after one season.
This time, viewers may not have simply purchased tickets for another Resident Evil adaptation. Many appeared equally interested in seeing what the filmmaker behind Barbarian and Weapons would do with the property.
The record therefore belongs to both Resident Evil and Cregger. However, the director’s growing reputation may have been what finally brought the film franchise back to life.
Are you surprised that the new Resident Evil set a franchise opening-day record? Sound off and let us know!
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