Zach Cregger's upcoming Resident Evil film is on pace to achieve the most successful opening weekend of any movie adaptation of Capcom's renowned horror franchise. Box Office Pro, a trade publication, has issued optimistic forecasts for the film, predicting an opening weekend gross of $40 million to $50 million.
This projection significantly outpaces the previous record holder, Resident Evil: Afterlife, which earned approximately $26.6 million during its 2010 opening weekend. Other notable openings include Resident Evil: Apocalypse and Resident Evil: Extinction, both around $23 million, and the original 2002 film, which garnered $17.7 million. The most recent adaptation, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, had the lowest opening weekend performance.
Despite not aiming for a direct 1:1 adaptation of the games, Cregger's approach has generated considerable enthusiasm. The film follows an ordinary individual caught in the Raccoon City Incident, incorporating numerous references to the games such as character dialogue about ammunition, nods to Resident Evil 4's Heavy Field shotgun shells, first-person action sequences, and the mention of the Umbrella Corporation.
Cregger, known for his work on horror films like Barbarian and Weapons, explained his decision to deviate from a strict game adaptation. Speaking at San Diego Comic Con, he stated that he was not attempting to adapt a video game or utilize the game's characters directly, believing the games themselves to be the definitive versions. His goal was to create a distinct narrative rather than try to replicate the games' success.
The film has been described as an intense thrill ride, with a runtime of one hour and 35 minutes. The industry will be watching to see if these opening weekend box office predictions materialize when the movie is released on September 18.