The new Resident Evil from TriStar Pictures, Constantin Film and Davis Films opened to $108.3 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing launch in the franchise’s history and the biggest global start of director Zach Cregger’s career. It also beats the entire global run of the 2002 original, which finished with $102.9 million.
A franchise reset, not just a strong weekend
The scale of the opening becomes clearer against the series’ own history. The 2021 reboot Welcome to Raccoon City ended at $41.9 million globally. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter remains the top-grossing title with $312 million, with China contributing $159.5 million—51% of that total. The new film’s first-weekend number already sits above the original’s lifetime gross, which signals a much broader commercial base.
For this year’s horror market, the film lands second globally behind Backrooms, which opened to $118 million worldwide. However, on the international piece, Resident Evil is ahead: its $48.3 million overseas debut is the strongest for a horror title in 2026 so far, above Backrooms‘ $36.6 million.
Key comparisons for buyers and planners
- Runs 66% ahead of Weapons, 33% ahead of A Quiet Place: Day One, and 18% ahead of Alien: Romulus on a like-for-like basis at current exchange rates.
- Opens ahead of Scream 7‘s $97 million worldwide start.
- UK led all markets with $5.8 million; Mexico followed at $5.6 million.
- France ($2.6M) and Germany ($2.5M) each opened ahead of the levels The Final Chapter delivered in those markets.
- India contributed $1.1 million, a smaller but notable signal of franchise reach beyond the legacy fan hubs.
What the remaining markets could do
About 13% of overseas territories are still to release. Thailand and Central Asia open September 24, South Africa on September 23, and Japan on October 9. China is undated. Japan is especially significant: it was the second-highest-grossing market for The Final Chapter at $36.4 million. If the reboot performs in line with that history, Japan could add meaningful upside before the film exits theaters.
China is a wildcard. The Final Chapter‘s $159.5 million there is best read as an anomaly—driven by a specific moment for U.S. action films and the game’s popularity, not a reliable baseline for a new entry. Distribution teams should model China as optional upside rather than a core assumption.
ScreenStat take
For media planners and entertainment marketers, this opening confirms two things: horror remains the most repeatable global theatrical format when attached to recognizable IP, and a known property can grow its audience when the creative team has a clear point of view. Cregger’s track record and the film’s pacing appear to have pulled in viewers beyond the legacy Milla Jovovich fan base.
Separately, A24’s Backrooms crossed $400 million worldwide, another signal that genre films are setting the pace for the global box office.
Source: Deadline
