ENTERTAINMENT

Box Office: ‘Resident Evil’ tops box office with franchise best debut of $60 million

PUBLISHED Sep 20, 2026, 12:22 PM ET

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Box Office: ‘Resident Evil’ tops box office with franchise best debut of $60 million

Media Bias Meter

Sources: 45

Left 2%

Center 93%

Right 4%

Sources: 45

Zach Cregger’s adaptation of Resident Evil achieved a franchise-best domestic opening weekend, grossing sixty million dollars across three thousand six hundred eighty-four locations in the United States and Canada according to studio estimates released on Sunday. The Sony Pictures release nearly matched the entire domestic lifetime gross of two thousand ten installment Resident Evil Afterlife without adjusting for inflation. The film stars Austin Abrams as a medical courier navigating infected creatures in Raccoon City and earned a ninety-five percent critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a B-plus CinemaScore from audiences. PostTrak exit polls indicated audiences were sixty-six percent male and seventy-five percent under thirty-five years of age. Cregger previously directed Barbarian and Weapons, establishing strong commercial performance relative to production budgets in the horror genre. Industry analysts noted the director's growing brand power as a primary driver for the opening weekend box office results.

By Haya | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

On March 15 2002 Sony Pictures released the original Resident Evil film.
On September 10 2010 Sony released Resident Evil Afterlife earning sixty million.
On September 9 2022 20th Century Studios released Zach Cregger film Barbarian.
On June 6 2025 Warner Bros released Zach Cregger film Weapons theatrically.
On September 18 2026 Sony Pictures scheduled preview screenings for new film.
On September 20 2026 studio estimates reported sixty million opening weekend gross.
On September 20 2026 exit polls revealed seventy-five percent young demographic attendance.
On September 20 2026 Rotten Tomatoes recorded ninety-five percent positive critical score.
On September 21 2026 analysts projected strong weekday ticket sales across North America.
On September 25 2026 international markets will report initial overseas box office earnings.

News Intelligence

Immediate US impact: Boosts North American theatrical revenues and studio investor confidence significantly.
Possible long-term US impact: Establishes director-driven horror as a major long-term studio asset.
Most affected groups: Moviegoers, theater operators, Sony Pictures, and horror film fans nationwide.
Reader priority: Monitor box office tracking updates and official studio financial performance reports.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 45
Right Leaning:: 2
Left Leaning:: 1
Neutral:: 42

Explain Framing

Left: Highlights auteur filmmaking success and shifting demographic audience engagement trends. Center: Emphasizes verified box office ticket sales and studio financial records. Right: Focuses on commercial viability and profitable intellectual property asset management.