Sony Eyes Oscar Glory for Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ After Its Record-Breaking Reviews
Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ has already done something no film in the franchise ever managed: win over critics. The Sony reboot holds a 96% certified fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, which Deadline notes is the best of Cregger’s career, ahead of ‘Weapons’, and makes it the highest-rated horror film of the year.
That’s a huge turnaround for a series that has long been panned. Gulf News pointed out that Paul W.S. Anderson’s original ‘Resident Evil’ landed with a 36% Tomatometer score, while SlashFilm reported that Cregger’s version broke the all-time Rotten Tomatoes record for a video game movie, overtaking ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ at 86%.
The success has now sparked talk of something bigger. According to X account Global Box Office, citing box office analyst Gitesh Pandya, Sony has started its Oscar and Golden Globes campaign for the film, with screenings for Oscar voters already booked.
The account called ‘Resident Evil’ the best-rated blockbuster of the year and said Sony plans to focus on nominations across multiple technical categories. The post drew 31.3K views and 1.4K likes, with fans quickly weighing in on where the film could compete.
One reply urged the Academy to recognize star Austin Abrams, while another called the film a shoo-in for Best Cinematography and Best Original Score. The film was shot by cinematographer Dariusz Wolski, with music by Hays and Ryan Holladay, according to its official credits.
The first trailer for Zach Cregger's ‘RESIDENT EVIL’ has been released.
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 30, 2026
In theaters on September 18. pic.twitter.com/eeVCAGzy6M
The awards buzz follows a thunderous debut. ‘Resident Evil’ opened to $60 million domestically, a record for both the franchise and Cregger, beating the $40 million to $50 million it was tracking before release.
Deadline noted that the opening alone nearly matched the lifetime domestic total of 2010’s ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife’, which finished at $60.1 million. The film also earned $48.3 million internationally in its first weekend, according to TheWrap, and has grossed $108.3 million worldwide against a $75 million budget.
“This is a big comeback after the previous episode stumbled during the pandemic,” box office analyst David A. Gross told Variety. “Reviews are outstanding, and the audience score is excellent for the genre.”
Sony’s awards ambitions aren’t coming out of nowhere. Cregger’s ‘Weapons’ shattered expectations last year, finishing with $270 million worldwide on a $38 million budget and earning Amy Madigan the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
The new film’s marketing is already leaning into that reputation. A poster shared alongside the awards news highlights TheWrap critic William Bibbiani praising Cregger as a modern master of horror.
Cregger co-wrote the script with Shay Hatten, crafting an all-new story rather than adapting any single game. Abrams stars as Bryan, a medical courier who ends up in a desperate fight for survival during one horrifying night in Raccoon City, with Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser rounding out the cast.
World of Reel described the film as escalating like a game run, from sewer to maternity ward, calling it high entertainment rather than high art. At a lean 95 minutes, it has also won praise for packing its scares into a tight runtime.
Even with strong reviews and box office, a genre film faces tough odds with awards voters, which likely explains Sony’s focus on technical categories. Still, with voter screenings booked and momentum on its side, ‘Resident Evil’ is shaping up as one of the season’s most intriguing wild cards.
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