‘Resident Evil’ Rampages Past Zach Cregger’s Box Office Record as China Fuels a Franchise-History Run

Horror has had a monster year at the box office, with ‘Obsession’ and ‘Backrooms’ both becoming hits. But the genre’s biggest surprise may be a video game reboot that nobody expected to be this big.

Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil‘ has kept chewing through expectations week after week, and its latest milestone could rewrite the franchise’s record books.

The film opened on September 18 to $60 million domestically from 3,684 theaters, the franchise’s biggest opening ever. It added $48.3 million overseas for a $108.3 million global debut, far above the $40 million to $50 million that had been projected.

Critics loved it. The reboot holds a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 91% audience score, and it has been called the highest-rated video game movie ever. It also earned a B+ CinemaScore.

Zach Cregger’s RESIDENT EVIL crossed the $300M mark at the global box office after a superb $40M+ opening week in China. It’s now on track for a $450M-$500M global run, the highest grossing movie in the franchise and in Cregger’s career. https://t.co/e5mMfWSzra

— Global Box Office (@GlobalBoxOffice) October 11, 2026

The latest number is the big one. ‘Resident Evil’ has now crossed the $300 million mark at the global box office after a superb opening week in China of more than $40 million.

The film opened in China on Monday, October 5, and posted a $12.2 million opening day, according to a tracker, the franchise’s biggest opening day there and the biggest for a Hollywood horror film in that market. It collected $20 million across Monday and Tuesday, and Deadline had initially projected a $35 million first week.

The figures are now running ahead of expectations. Some box office watchers say the film is on track for a global run of $450 million to $500 million, which would make it the highest-grossing movie in the franchise and in Cregger’s career. That projection is a forecast, not a final tally.

Before China opened, the film had earned $245.4 million globally through its third weekend. It needed to pass the $270 million earned by ‘Weapons’, Cregger’s previous best, and now it has done so.

Next in line are the franchise’s top earners. ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife’ made $300.2 million worldwide, and ‘Resident Evil: The Final Chapter’ finished with $312.2 million. ‘The Final Chapter’ relied heavily on China and Japan, which delivered about $159.5 million and $36.5 million respectively.

The reboot is already over-performing in North America. It became the first film in the franchise to pass $100 million domestically.

The first trailer for Zach Cregger’s ‘RESIDENT EVIL’ has been released. In theaters on September 18. https://t.co/eeVCAGzy6M

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 30, 2026

The film’s Chinese debut outpaced several recent horror releases. It beat the China openings of ‘Obsession’ at $4.8 million and ‘Backrooms’ at $5.2 million, plus the reported $26.1 million opening of ‘Alien: Romulus’ in 2024.

Audiences have responded well, giving the film a 7.2 rating on Douban. Japan followed on October 9, offering another major market for further growth.

‘Resident Evil’ stars Austin Abrams, who also had a pivotal role in ‘Weapons’, as a medical courier. His last job of the night pulls him into a battle with infected creatures in Raccoon City.

Cregger wrote the film with Shay Hatten, and it is the eighth live-action film in the series. It is also positioned as a reboot rather than a continuation of the earlier movies, which helped it reach new viewers.

Part of the success comes from who showed up. Opening weekend audiences included 37% cinephile Cregger fans alongside 46% franchise fans, according to reports.

Box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian told the Associated Press that the formula was simple: “Zach Cregger plus big franchise equals big bucks.” He added that the filmmaker made the movie feel fresh and new.

The film reportedly cost $75 million to produce, not including marketing. Based on its current pace, it has long since cleared any break-even point.

Cregger has more projects ahead, including ‘Flood’, starring Jennifer Lawrence, set for release on August 11, 2028. For now, his reboot is still in theaters and still climbing.

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