Overview
- The film earned $8.8 million from Thursday preview screenings, a franchise record reported Friday by multiple industry outlets.
- Critics have been overwhelmingly positive, with Resident Evil holding a 96% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes and preview audiences posting roughly 90% audience scores and a 4.5/5 PostTrak.
- Initial opening estimates of $40M–$50M were raised after preview demand, with trackers now projecting a debut north of $60M and some optimistic ceilings near $65M–$70M.
- Director Zach Cregger chose a gameplay-first approach with an original lead character, Austin Abrams’s medical courier Bryan, emphasizing practical creature effects and game-like camera work rather than adapting legacy game protagonists.
- The film’s reported $75 million production budget means studios will watch weekend totals and word-of-mouth closely to judge profitability and whether to greenlight sequels or continue Cregger’s creative direction.