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Resident Evil Reboot Debuts Strong and Breaks Franchise Preview Record

Record preview sales and glowing reviews have pushed opening‑weekend estimates far above studio projections.

Overview

  • The film, which opened Friday, drew roughly $8.8 million from Thursday night previews and set a new franchise record for preview grosses.
  • Critics have widely praised Zach Cregger’s gameplay‑driven reboot, giving it about a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes and strong early audience marks.
  • Cregger’s movie tells an original Resident Evil story with no legacy game protagonists and translates game mechanics to film through pacing, resource scarcity and player POV.
  • The production carried a reported $75 million budget, and preview‑driven tracking now has some industry forecasters pushing the three‑day domestic opening toward or above $60 million.
  • The film’s box‑office and critical performance will influence Sony’s sequel plans and could reshape how studios approach video‑game adaptations by valuing gameplay fidelity over direct character lifts.