Director Zach Cregger's upcoming Resident Evil movie, set to premiere on September 17, is projected by industry analysts to achieve the franchise's most successful opening weekend to date. Box Office Pro, the official publication of the National Association of Theater Owners, forecasts the survival-horror film will earn between $40 million and $50 million in North America during its debut.
This projected figure nearly doubles the $26.6 million opening weekend of 2010's Resident Evil: Afterlife. The film's brisk running time of approximately 95 minutes is expected to facilitate multiple daily screenings, potentially maximizing ticket sales for theater owners. Should Resident Evil reach the $40 million mark or higher, its opening performance would rival that of Cregger's previous film, Weapons, which debuted with $43.5 million and went on to gross $270 million globally.
The new installment appears set to vastly outperform 2021's Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which struggled at the box office, earning only $42 million during its theatrical run. While opening weekend success does not guarantee sustained momentum, Cregger's films have historically demonstrated strong long-term performance.
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, released in 2017, remains the highest-grossing film in the franchise, with a worldwide total of $312.2 million. Other notable entries include Resident Evil: Afterlife ($300.2 million), Resident Evil: Retribution ($240 million), Resident Evil: Extinction ($148 million), Resident Evil: Apocalypse ($129 million), and the original Resident Evil ($103 million).
The film's potential for repeat viewings may be bolstered by Cregger's original story, which draws heavily from his enthusiasm for the source material. Early promotional materials have also hinted at numerous Easter eggs for fans. The movie stars Austin Abrams as a courier who finds himself in Raccoon City during a critical moment, supported by a cast including Zach Cherry, Johnno Wilson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Kali Reis.