‘Resident Evil’ Is Tracking for a Monster Global Box Office Opening

The new Resident Evil movie is starting to look like a much bigger box office story than many people expected. With the film now just days away from reaching theaters, early tracking numbers are showing strong interest from both domestic and international audiences. The movie is also getting a boost from premium formats such as IMAX, giving Sony plenty of reasons to believe its latest attempt to bring the famous video game series back to the big screen could become a major hit.

According to tracking data shared by industry analyst Global Box Office, Resident Evil is currently expected to make between $120 million and $150 million worldwide during its opening weekend. Those numbers are still estimates and could move as more tickets are sold, but the early signs are clearly positive. Pre-sales have reportedly been strong in several international markets, with audiences showing particular interest in premium screens. That overseas demand could be very important for the movie since the Resident Evil franchise has traditionally depended heavily on international audiences.

The domestic picture is looking strong as well. Early tracking originally placed the movie at around $35 million for its opening weekend in the United States, but stronger-than-expected advance sales have pushed some estimates higher. Several outlets are now suggesting that the movie could potentially reach $40 million to $50 million domestically. If it lands anywhere around that range, it would easily beat the franchise’s current domestic opening record.

That record belongs to 2010’s Resident Evil: Afterlife, which opened to $26.7 million in North America. Beating that number would give the new movie an important early victory and show just how much interest has grown around this latest version of the franchise. The film also has another major advantage in director Zach Cregger, whose recent success has helped turn him into one of horror’s most talked-about filmmakers.

Cregger made a major impression with Barbarian before following it with Weapons, which became a surprisingly big theatrical success. Weapons opened with $43.5 million in North America and eventually earned $151.5 million domestically and around $270 million worldwide. That performance was especially impressive because the movie was made for a much smaller budget than a typical studio franchise film. Now, Cregger is getting the chance to work with a much larger property, and the industry is watching closely to see whether he can bring the same success to Resident Evil.

The new movie is not simply retelling one of the games. Instead, it follows Bryan, a medical courier played by Austin Abrams, who becomes trapped in the middle of a dangerous outbreak while trying to complete a delivery. The story exists alongside the game’s established world rather than focusing on familiar characters such as Leon Kennedy or Jill Valentine. That decision has caused some debate among longtime fans, but Cregger has said he wants the movie to feel like the games in a different way.

One major part of that approach is the way the film handles resources and survival. In comments reported by PC Gamer, Cregger explained that he wanted to bring the resource-management side of the games into the movie. He even pointed to the importance of knowing how much ammunition the main character has left, saying, “audiences will always know exactly how many bullets remain in Bryan’s gun.” The idea is to make viewers feel some of the same pressure players experience when every bullet matters.

The timing of the release could also help create a big weekend for the movie. Resident Evil is scheduled to arrive in theaters on September 18, the same weekend as Warner Bros.’ Practical Magic 2. That puts the two films in very different corners of the market, but both are expected to attract strong audiences. Sony has also increased its international promotion for Resident Evil, sending Cregger and Abrams on a worldwide press tour as excitement continues to grow.

If the current tracking from Global Box Office is anywhere close to accurate, Resident Evil could open far beyond the usual expectations for a video game horror movie. A worldwide debut above $120 million would already be impressive, while a result near $150 million would put it in the conversation with some of the biggest recent horror openings. With strong pre-sales, premium-format demand, Cregger’s growing reputation, and a famous gaming brand behind it, the new Resident Evil is heading toward theaters with serious box office potential.

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