Sony’s ‘Resident Evil’ reboot earned $26.3 million domestically across 3,684 screens on opening day. That made it the top new release on Friday by a wide margin.
The total includes $8.8 million from Thursday previews. Sony now expects a three-day opening of $53 million to $55 million. The weekend could get closer to $60 million.
That would be the biggest opening in the series. The previous best was 2010’s ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife,’ which made $26 million over its opening weekend. The reboot has already matched that figure in a single day.
Beating expectations
The studio had set a much lower target. Sony projected a $40 million debut for the three-day weekend. Tracking services later raised their estimates as interest grew.
The film opened well above that number. Audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore. The movie also has a strong critics’ score. It holds a 96 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film cost $75 million to produce.
The story and the cast
Zach Cregger directed the film. He co-wrote it with Shay Hatten. It is based on Capcom’s horror video games.
Austin Abrams plays a medical courier who faces a zombie outbreak while making a delivery to Raccoon City General Hospital. The cast also includes Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Paul Walter Hauser. TriStar Pictures, Constantin Film and Davis Film made the movie.
Cregger chose to tell a new story. That meant leaving out established characters from the games. Some die-hard fans were unsure about that plan. Early reviews and word of mouth have been strong.
Cregger’s box office run
Cregger’s last film was ‘Weapons,’ released in August 2025. It opened to $43 million and finished with $270 million worldwide against a $38 million budget. Amy Madigan won an Oscar for her role in it.
His earlier horror film was ‘Barbarian’ in 2022.
‘Resident Evil’ is set for his biggest opening yet. Its projected weekend tops the $43.5 million debut of ‘Weapons’. Previews were also stronger. ‘Weapons’ made $5.7 million in previews.
A series with mixed results
The franchise began as a 1996 video game. It grew into a wider media brand with sequels, films and television shows.
The film series started with Paul W.S. Anderson’s 2002 movie. Milla Jovovich starred in that film and five sequels. The 2021 reboot, ‘Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City,’ underperformed.
The new film is the second remake and eighth installment in the film series. The same report calls it the first entry to impress critics.
Variety critic Owen Gleiberman was harsh on the earlier films. He called Cregger’s version a sweetly executed piece of escapist trivia.
Rest of the Friday chart
‘Practical Magic 2’ took second place on Friday. The Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock sequel added $3.1 million in its second week.
The film is expected to earn another $10.4 million over the weekend, for a cumulative total of $48.2 million.
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and ‘The Odyssey’ also stayed in the Friday top five. Sony’s comic book sequel earned $1.53 million. Universal’s ‘The Odyssey’ took in $1.36 million.
Final weekend numbers are due on Monday. Sony’s projection puts the film at $53 million to $55 million. Some estimates go higher.
A strong second weekend will show whether the audience score holds up. The film has the best reviews and best opening in the series. Exhibitors are also looking for a horror hit heading into fall.
- Resident Evil
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