411 Box Office Report: Resident Evil Sets Franchise Record To Claim Top Spot

Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil opened to franchise record box office numbers this weekend, easily topping the charts. The reboot of the video game horror adaptation powered its way to a dominating win with a $60 million gross over the frame. That is Cregger’s best opening of his career to date, beating Weapons’ $43.5 million start.

Not only is it by far the best opening of a Resident Evil film thus far (over double the $26.7 million start of 2010’s Resident Evil: Afterlife), it’s already the second-best domestic total of any film in the series to date. And if it comes in even a little higher than expected, it could top Afterlife’s $60.1 million to become the highest-domestic grossing film from the IP after just three days.

The Resident Evil franchise has long been a staple of video game adaptations and while they are divisive at best among fans, they do bring in business (albeit largely overseas). Sony Pictures is well aware of this fact, obviously, and needed a way to revive it after Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City fell flat in November 2021. Cregger proved to be a perfect choice from a business perspective, coming off the critical and commercial success of Weapons. His selection gave the film instant positive buzz among fans.

And what a success it is. While Cregger’s steering clear of characters from the games or retelling those storylines drew consternation among some fans, critics adore the film with a 95% RT critic aggregate score. And fans love it too with a 91% RT audience rating and a B+ CinemaScore, again the best of the franchise. (The previous best was a B which the 2002 original, 2004’s Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and 2017’s Resident Evil: The Final Chapter all earned).

Resident Evil ’26 has also added a healthy $48.3 million overseas for a $108.3 million worldwide start. It is working under a hefty budget for horror at $75 million. But it should be in fine chape, even as it likely dips next weekend. Cregger’s films have had quite good legs; the Resident Evil films have not. But even if the franchise’s front-loaded nature takes sway, it’s hard to imagine the film closing out at less than $130 million in the US.

Practical Magic 2 took an expected dip, dropping 59% in its second weekend to brought in $12.2 million. That’s a far larger drop than the original, which was down just 30% in its second weekend back in 1998. That was a different time, to be fair.

As of now, Practical Magic 2 is at $50 million in the US and $76.8 million worldwide. Those numbers are already much better than the first film’s, and the sequel’s budget was vaguely comparable at $75 million to the first’s $60 million. As said last week, this film will not be profitable before it leaves theaters. However, it will likely prove to make money in the end once digital revenue is factored in. Its final domestic total should be around $75 million.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day officially became the highest domestic grossing film of all time as it was down 23% in its eighth weekend to $6.5 million. The MCU film now has $944.5 million domestic and $2.461 billion worldwide, head of Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ $936.7 million domestic record. It’s a blockbuster success against a $225 million budget and will probably hit around $955 million to $960 million.

The Odyssey was down 35% in its 10th weekend. The Christopher Nolan epic added $4.9 million and has now grossed $609.8 million in the US and $1.721 billion worldwide. It’s now the 17th highest domestic grossing film ever and may even, if it stretches a little longer, top Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi’s $620.2 million for #26. The budget for the film was $250 million.

Coyote vs. Acme had a good hold of 30% in its fourth weekend to bring in $4.5 million. The Ketchup Entertainment-distributed Looney Tunes film keeps crawling its way toward a potential profit point at $54.8 million stateside and $75.3 million worldwide. The film still has to make it further to beat the $50 million cost the studio paid Warner Bros. for the rights, but it is keeping the course and still has some international markets left to open. It will probably close out in the US around $62 million or so.

Angel Studios’ action thriller Runner was off by 51% in its second weekend. The Alan Ritchson-led film added $3.1 million to its books for a $12 million domestic total and $13.1 million worldwide. That’s solid for Angel Studios, if not a breakout hit. We don’t know the film’s budget, but it is aiming for around $18 million or so in the US.

EKKL Entertainment released the Biblical drama Daniel and the Fiery Furnace, which performed as expected with a $3.1 million start. The film, inspired by the story of the Biblical prophet, is the first theatrical release from the faith-based studio.

The film flew largely under the radar and was targeted toward the faith-based moviegoing crowd that tends to go to Angel Studios films among others. Critics did not review it for the most part, but audiences gave it a 91% RT score. It’s likely to fade out quickly and there’s no word on the budget.

The Transformers: The Movie had its 40th anniversary release and made I to #8 with $3.1 million. The animated film, which was re-released through Fathom Entertainment, brought its all-time totals to $5.8 million. It will likely be out of the top 10 next week, if it is still in theaters at all.

Vertical Entertainment’s action thriller The Weight came in light at $2.3 million. The Ethan Hawke and Russel Crowe-led film, which is set in the 1930s, earned great reviews (93% RT critic score) and positive word of mouth (81% RT audience score, B+ CinemaScore) but had a light marketing campaign to go with its low $2 million budget. Vertical will make money off this film as they lean into home viewing; domestically it should end around $5 million.

Buddy closed out the top 10, as the Roadside Attractions horror comedy slipped 47% in its fourth weekend to $1.9 million. The film is now at $24.8 and is a huge success against a $3 million budget.

Resident Evil will fight the return of Avengers: Endgame for the top spot next weekend. The “Encore” rerelease is expected to do $20 million to $25 million as Marvel primes fans for Avengers: Doomsday at the end of the year. Meanwhile, Universal Pictures’ animated Forgotten Island is aiming for the mid-high teens as is Paramount Pictures’ Heart of the Beast. A24 as their Chris Hanson-centered drama Primetime which should be in the low double digits.

Box Office Top Ten (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)

1. Resident Evil – $60 million ($60 million total, $108.3 million WW)
2. Practical Magic 2 – $12.2 million ($50 million total, $76.8 million WW)
3. Spider-Man: Brand New Day – $6.5 million ($944.5 million total, $2.461 billion WW)
4. The Odyssey – $4.9 million ($609.8 million total, $1.721 billion WW)
5. Coyote vs. Acme – $4.5 million ($54.8 million total, $74.3 million WW)
6. Runner – $3.2 million ($12 million total, $13.1 million WW)
7. Daniel and the Fiery Furnace – $3.1 million ($3.1 million total, $3.1 million WW)
8. The Transformers: The Movie – $3.1 million ($5.8 million total, $5.8 million WW)
9. The Weight – $2.3 million ($2.3 million total, $2.3 million WW)
10. Buddy – $1.9 million ($24.8 million total, $24.8 million WW)