Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil expected to set franchise box-office record

Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is tracking towards a record domestic opening for the video-game film franchise, with current forecasts ranging from $40 million to $60 million.

IGN reports that the film could open to $40 million–$50 million in North America, with some estimates reaching $60 million. SlashFilm puts the current range at $45 million–$60 million, citing Box Office Theory.

Resident Evil box office projections clear the old record

The lowest current forecast would comfortably beat Resident Evil: Afterlife, which opened to $26.6 million domestically in 2010. That film remains the franchise’s best North American debut, despite the series having seven live-action theatrical releases.

The projections have risen from an earlier $35 million–$50 million range reported by Deadline. The film is due in cinemas on September 18, and even the cautious end of the latest tracking would give Sony a new opening-weekend benchmark.

The global Resident Evil box office picture is stronger

IGN reports a projected $31 million international opening, taking the global debut to about $80 million. Sony is reportedly spending $75 million on production, before marketing, so that opening would give the film a useful start rather than a victory lap.

The franchise has historically travelled better than its North American openings suggest. Resident Evil: Afterlife finished with about $300 million worldwide, while Resident Evil: The Final Chapter reached roughly $312 million globally in 2017. The latter remains the series’ highest-grossing film worldwide.

That gives Cregger’s film two targets: a domestic opening record that now looks vulnerable, and a longer global run against the franchise’s existing ceiling. Its commercial prospects arrive alongside a separate question about how far audiences will follow a new story that does not use the games’ established characters.

Zach Cregger has already faced Resident Evil fan criticism over the reboot’s approach, while he previously cut most of the film’s jokes after test screenings. The film also became the franchise’s highest-rated entry on Rotten Tomatoes, adding another useful signal before the opening weekend.