Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil has delivered a jolt to the North American box office, opening to an estimated $60 million from 3,684 locations in the U.S. and Canada, according to studio estimates released Sunday. The Sony Pictures release marks the best debut in the long-running video game adaptation series and the biggest opening of Cregger’s directorial career.
The franchise, which dates back to 2002, has now seen eight films. The previous seven never managed a domestic opening of this size. In fact, $60 million is more than most of them made during their entire theatrical runs. Only 2010’s Resident Evil: Afterlife finished higher, with a total domestic gross of $60.1 million — a figure not adjusted for inflation.
A director’s hot streak continues
Cregger, who previously directed Barbarian and Weapons, has built a reputation for defying horror box office norms. His films tend to hold better than typical genre fare, which often sees steep drops after opening weekend. Barbarian grossed over $46 million on a budget under $5 million. Weapons earned $270 million worldwide on a $38 million budget.
“Zach Cregger is a household name in the world of horror,” said Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends for Rentrak. “There are certain directors who become the star of the movie.”
Dergarabedian added: “Zach Cregger plus big franchise equals big bucks. And he made it feel fresh and new.”
Resident Evil stars Austin Abrams — who also had a pivotal role in Weapons — as a medical courier whose final delivery of the night turns into a fight for survival against infected creatures in Raccoon City. Critics have responded warmly; the film currently holds a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Audiences skewed male (66%) and under 35 (75%), according to PostTrak exit polls, and handed the film a B+ CinemaScore.
International performance and budget
Produced for a reported $75 million — a figure that excludes marketing and promotion costs — Resident Evil added $48.3 million internationally, bringing its global launch to $108.3 million.
The strong start comes amid a robust year for horror. According to Rentrak, the genre has generated over $1.1 billion at the domestic box office in 2026, fueled by hits like Obsession and Backrooms.
Elsewhere at the box office
Second place went to Practical Magic 2, which fell about 59% from its opening weekend, earning $12.2 million from 4,163 North American theaters. Internationally, it added $7 million, pushing its global total to $76.8 million.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day landed in third with $6.5 million in its eighth weekend, bringing its domestic haul to $944.5 million. The Odyssey took fourth in its tenth weekend with $4.9 million, while Coyote vs. Acme rounded out the top five with $4.5 million.
In limited release, comedian John Wilson’s documentary The History of Concrete earned $90,000 from a single screen — the IFC Center in New York. That marks the second-best single-weekend performance ever at the venue, trailing only Parasite, which took in $119,407.
Final domestic figures are due Monday. The rankings above reflect estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/09/21/box-office-resident-evil-1-with-franchise-best-60-million-debut/