Resident Evil Reboot Shatters Franchise Box Office Record

Zach Cregger's Resident Evil reboot has shattered franchise records, opening to a $60 million domestic weekend and establishing a new benchmark for the series. The film, which debuted on September 18, 2026, surpassed the previous record of $26 million set by 2010's Resident Evil: Afterlife. Its global debut reached $108.3 million, including $48.3 million from international markets. The strong performance exceeded early industry projections, which had estimated a $40 million to $50 million opening. The film's success is attributed to a combination of strong reviews and audience reception. It holds a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes and earned a B CinemaScore, results noted as unusually strong for an R-rated horror film. Industry analysts have credited Cregger with revitalizing the franchise. Paul Dergarabedian of Rentrak stated that putting the director in charge made the familiar property feel fresh and original again. The film's opening weekend also demonstrated the commercial viability of R-rated video game adaptations, a contrast to recent hits like A Minecraft Movie and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which were primarily aimed at younger audiences.