Zach Cregger’s new Resident Evil reboot has given the long-running video-game franchise one of its strongest theatrical performances. The film opened with approximately $60 million in North America, dramatically beating pre-release expectations of around $40–50 million and setting the franchise’s biggest domestic opening. International markets added another $48.3 million, giving the movie a $108.3 million worldwide opening.
Although the movie experienced a significant decline after its opening weekend, it continued accumulating enough business to become a substantial hit. As of the latest reporting, Resident Evil has reached approximately $124.8 million domestically and $215 million worldwide against a reported $75 million production budget. That already makes it another major commercial success for Cregger following Weapons.
The result also continues Hollywood’s changing relationship with video-game adaptations. Games are increasingly being treated as serious entertainment properties capable of supporting prestigious television series and major theatrical releases. Resident Evil already had decades of screen history, but Cregger’s success suggests that even a heavily adapted franchise can attract audiences again when filmmakers offer a sufficiently fresh interpretation.
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