Zach Cregger's take on the Resident Evil universe has achieved significant commercial success, crossing the $360 million mark at the global box office. This figure makes it the highest-grossing Resident Evil film to date and Cregger's most successful project commercially.
Following a $22.6 million weekend haul, the movie's worldwide gross stands at $361.1 million. According to box office observers, at the five-weekend mark, Resident Evil is outperforming other notable horror films such as Alien: Romulus ($330 million), Backrooms ($331 million), and Obsession ($287 million). While it may reach $400 million, potentially surpassing Sinners ($370.4 million), it faces a challenge to match the final worldwide gross of Backrooms and Obsession, which concluded their runs at $400.6 million and $522.8 million, respectively. These films benefited from strong word-of-mouth for sustained theatrical runs, with Obsession ranking as the fifth highest-grossing horror movie of all time unadjusted for inflation.
The film has performed particularly well internationally, earning $56 million in China alone. Its popularity has had a direct impact on the gaming side, reportedly boosting sales of the Resident Evil 2 remake on PS5 by over 50%. The movie also inspired Chandler Riggs, known for his role in The Walking Dead, to create his own fan film based on Resident Evil 7, expressing a desire to collaborate with Cregger on a potential sequel.
Cregger has expressed interest in expanding the Resident Evil narrative, stating in September that he has already conceived ideas for a follow-up film. Critics have also recognized Cregger's adaptation, with it currently holding the title of the highest-rated video game movie adaptation. IGN's review awarded the film an 8/10, praising it as "a simple and exciting survival horror story that benefits greatly from Zach Cregger’s sensibilities."
While Cregger's Resident Evil is a financial success, it is important to note that the Super Mario Bros. movie remains the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time, followed by its sequel and A Minecraft Movie. These family-friendly titles generally have a broader appeal compared to the more mature themes present in the Resident Evil film.