Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is not just leading the weekend box office—it is resetting the ceiling for a 24-year-old franchise. Sony’s reboot collected $26.3 million on Friday, including $8.8 million from Thursday previews, and the studio now projects a $53 million to $55 million three-day opening in North America.
That is well above the $40 million the studio initially expected. If Saturday and Sunday hold, the film could finish closer to $60 million. It opened in 3,684 theaters and carries a $75 million production budget before marketing.
The numbers that matter
- Friday gross: $26.3 million, including $8.8 million in previews
- Weekend estimate: $53 million-$55 million, with upside to $60 million
- Budget: $75 million production cost
- Early sentiment: B+ CinemaScore, 96% critics score and 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes
At a $55 million opening, the film would recover roughly 73% of its production budget in its first domestic weekend alone. That is a strong launch for a horror title, though full profitability will also depend on international gross.
A franchise record after a bumpy path
The original Resident Evil launched in 2002 under director Paul W.S. Anderson, with Milla Jovovich leading five sequels. Those films pushed the series past $1.2 billion worldwide, but the 2021 reboot Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City underperformed. Cregger’s film is now tracking toward the highest-grossing opening in the franchise’s history.
The new story follows a medical courier, played by Austin Abrams, trying to deliver a critical item during a viral outbreak in Raccoon City. Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Paul Walter Hauser co-star. The film comes from TriStar Pictures, Constantin Film and Davis Film.
Cregger is also extending a personal hot streak. His previous film, Weapons, opened to $43.5 million in August 2025 after winning an Oscar and was released by Warner Bros. The Resident Evil opening would beat that mark by roughly $10 million at the midpoint.
Frank Scheck wrote in The Hollywood Reporter that Cregger “crafted a propulsive, simultaneously terrifying and hilarious thrill ride.”
That critical reception matters because previous franchise entries were rarely reviewer favorites. This film is the first installment to earn strong critic support, and it is the year’s top-reviewed horror release on Rotten Tomatoes.
Rest of the top five
Warner Bros.’ Practical Magic 2 is second with an estimated $10.4 million weekend, bringing its domestic cume to about $48.2 million. The sequel, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, is set to pass the original’s $46.7 million North American total despite a 65% drop from its opening.
Sony’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day adds $6.3 million in its eighth weekend. The Tom Holland-led Marvel film, which led the box office for its first six weekends, will reach about $944.3 million domestically. The next milestone to watch is whether it becomes the first film to cross $1 billion in North America.
In its tenth weekend, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is taking in an estimated $5 million, lifting its domestic total to $609.8 million. Universal has called it the studio’s highest-grossing film ever.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
