Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ Reboot Heading for $55 Million Opening Weekend

Sony Pictures’ new Resident Evil reboot is making a massive splash at the box office, smashing franchise records in the process.

Director Zach Cregger’s horror film, starring Austin Abrams, raked in an estimated $26.3 million domestically on Friday alone, bolstered by $8.8 million in Thursday night previews. That performance has Sony projecting a $53 million to $55 million three-day opening weekend the biggest debut in Resident Evil franchise history.

The numbers represent a major win for Cregger and Sony, particularly as horror and video game adaptations continue gaining traction at the multiplex. The film, which cost approximately $75 million to produce, opened across more than 3,600 North American theaters.

Audiences and critics have embraced the new direction. Resident Evil earned a solid B+ CinemaScore and has emerged as the year’s best-reviewed horror film, according to critics.

Abrams plays Bryan, a medical courier thrust into the middle of a nightmarish outbreak. The supporting cast includes Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser.

Cregger, riding high from his previous horror film Weapons, which opened to $43.5 million last year, is cementing his status as a reliable box office draw. His fresh take on Capcom’s long-running video game franchise is proving far more successful than the previous installment, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which opened to just $13.7 million in 2021.