Zach Cregger's Resident Evil Defies Expectations With $108 Million Box Office Opening Weekend
Zach Cregger's Resident Evil has pushed through the backlash to collect an estimated $108.3 million globally in its opening weekend at the box office.
It's a franchise-best opening for the horror-comedy hybrid that saw it bring in $60 million domestically and $48.3 million internationally. That's a good hunk of change more than even some healthy projections, which had most expecting a $40-$50 million domestic opening for Resident Evil.
Starring Austin Abrams as an original character named Bryan who is thrust into the darkest pits of a suffering Raccoon City, Resident Evil's opening performance also secures its place as Cregger's biggest debut yet. His work on Barbarian earned $10 million in its opening weekend, while last year's Weapons pulled in a still-impressive $70 million. The film also features appearances from Zach Cherry (Severance), Kali Reis (True Detective: Night Country), and Paul Walter Hauser (The Fantastic Four: First Steps).
There are a few things contributing to Sony, Cregger, and Resident Evil's success in theaters. While the Abrams-led flick aimed to deliver a story inspired by survival horror gameplay, the previous run of films starring Milla Jovovich typically strayed from including the elements gamers love about the IP.
Fans also largely agree that 2021's Welcome to Raccoon City, which came with a thick layer of video game references, failed to effectively pay homage to the franchise. Beyond Cregger's heavy-hitting resume, and regardless of the backlash leading up to his movie's release, fans have spent decades excited to see a Resident Evil movie not only show love to the Capcom series but deliver an experience based on what it's like to actually play its games.
Despite carrying Cregger's name and the Resident Evil brand into theaters, it has been somewhat of an uphill battle for the director's latest outing. Since the first trailers were released earlier this year, some fans have had a hard time accepting an adaptation that largely leaves behind familiar icons like Leon S. Kennedy and the t-Virus. While some were concerned about changes to the source material, which included a more modern setting and a snowy Raccoon City, early footage had other vocal viewers concerned Cregger wouldn't be able to land another hit horror film.
After its first weekend in theaters, however, Resident Evil has firmly defied expectations. Adding to its list of record-breaking box office stats, Resident Evil has mutated its way past Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to become the highest-rated video game movie of all-time, at least as far as Rotten Tomatoes is concerned. IGN gave it an 8/10 review, calling it "a simple and exciting survival horror story that benefits greatly from director Zach Cregger’s sensibilities."
In other box office news, the domestic top five saw Resident Evil take first place, with Practical Magic in second, Spider-Man: Brand New Day in third, The Odyssey in fourth, and Coyote vs. Acme in fifth. Worldwide, Resident Evil maintained the top spot, with The Odyssey, Practical Magic 2, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Coyote vs. Acme following in that order. Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has surpassed $1.72 billion at the global box office, while Spider-Man: Brand New Day has reached $2.47 billion.
Sony spent approximately $75 million to make Resident Evil, according to Variety. Though its marketing costs are unclear, it looks like a strong start for the franchise's return to theaters. For more on the movie, you can read about why fans shouldn't expect to see a "Cregger cut" with more jokes. You can also read about why the director said his film will make fans "feel seen," and you can check out IGN's top 10 horror movies of 2026.