Box Office: 'Resident Evil' tops box office with franchise best debut of
$60 million
[September 21, 2026]
By LINDSEY BAHR
Zach Cregger’s “Resident Evil” gave the North American box office a shot
in the arm in its first weekend in theaters. The Sony Pictures release
earned $60 million in ticket sales from 3,684 locations in the U.S. and
Canada, according to studio estimates Sunday.
That’s a best for the video game inspired franchise, of which there have
been seven prior movies dating back to 2002, and for the filmmaker
behind “Weapons” and “Barbarian.” It’s also more than most of the
previous films made in their entire domestic runs. The only exception is
“Resident Evil: Afterlife,” which was released in 2010 and netted out
with $60.1 million, not accounting for inflation.
Cregger’s “Resident Evil” stars Austin Abrams (who also played a pivotal
role in “Weapons”) as a medical courier whose last job of the night
finds him battling infected creatures in Raccoon City. Reviews were
overwhelmingly positive; it currently boasts a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The audience was primarily male (66%) and under 35 (75%), according to
PostTrak exit polls, and gave it a B+ CinemaScore. Cregger’s previous
films have defied a lot of box office logic when it comes to horror
movies, whose earnings tend to be front-loaded and drop sharply after
the first weekend. “Barbarian” grossed over $46 million on a budget
under $5 million. “Weapons” made $270 million on a $38 million budget.
“Zach Cregger is a household name in the world of horror,” said Paul
Dergarabedian, the head of marketplace trends for Rentrak. “There are
certain directors who become the star of the movie.”
“Resident Evil” cost a reported $75 million to produce, which does not
include marketing and promotion expenses. Internationally, it earned
$48.3 million, bringing its global launch to $108.3 million.
“Zach Cregger plus big franchise equals big bucks,” Dergarabedian said.
“And he made it feel fresh and new.”
According to Rentrak, horror movies this year, including hits like
“Obsession” and “Backrooms,” have generated over $1.1 billion at the
domestic box office.
Second place went to “Practical Magic 2,” which fell about 59% from its
lackluster opening weekend with $12.2 million from 4,163 theaters in
North America. An additional $7 million from international showings
brings its running global total to $76.8 million.
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This image released by Sony Pictures shows Austin Abrams in a scene
from "Resident Evil." (Sony Pictures via AP)
 “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” landed
in third place with $6.5 million in its eighth weekend, pushing its
domestic total to $944.5 million. “The Odyssey,” in its 10th weekend
in theaters, added another $4.9 million to take fourth place.
“Coyote vs. Acme” rounded out the top five with $4.5 million.
One notable limited release was “The History of
Concrete,” a documentary from comedian John Wilson, which earned
$90,000 from one screen (the IFC Center in New York). The only film
to make more in a single weekend at that venue was “Parasite,” which
made $119,407.
Top 10 movies by domestic box office
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors
in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and
Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak:
1. “Resident Evil,” $60 million.
2. “Practical Magic 2,” $12.2 million.
3. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” $6.5 million.
4. “The Odyssey,” $4.9 million.
5. “Coyote vs. Acme,” $4.5 million.
6. “Runner,” $3.2 million.
7. “Daniel and the Fiery Furnace,” $3.1 million.
8. “Transformers: The Movie” (40th anniversary re-release), $3.1
million.
9. “The Weight,” $2.3 million.
10. “Buddy,” $1.9 million.
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