Zach Cregger's Resident Evil Shocks the Box Office With $108 Million Global Debut
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Zach Cregger's Resident Evil defied early fan backlash and conservative projections by pulling in a massive $108.3 million global opening weekend, setting a new franchise record and claiming the highest critical rating for a video game movie to date.
Director Zach Cregger has officially proven the skeptics wrong. According to IGN South Africa, his fresh take on Resident Evil pulled in an estimated $108.3 million globally during its opening weekend, smashing early domestic projections that only hovered around $40 to $50 million. Backed by a $60 million domestic haul and another $48.3 million internationally, this horror-comedy hybrid marks a franchise-best theatrical opening and easily surpasses the debut numbers of Cregger's previous hits like Barbarian and Weapons.
Getting to this point was far from an easy run for Sony or the creative team. Early trailers sparked intense debate across community spaces and streaming platforms over creative liberties, particularly the choice to center the story around an original character named Bryan played by Austin Abrams while leaving out traditional icons like Leon S. Kennedy. Fans also voiced concerns about the modern setting and snowy atmosphere. Yet, the final product won over audiences by actually capturing the tense, deliberate pacing and atmosphere of survival horror gameplay, setting it apart from older film adaptations and 2021's Welcome to Raccoon City.
The strong word of mouth has translated into serious milestones for the project. Alongside its massive financial start against a reported $75 million production budget, the film has climbed past Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to claim the highest Rotten Tomatoes score ever for a video game adaptation. With strong critical praise, including an 8 out of 10 review from IGN highlighting Cregger's distinct directorial sensibilities, the movie has firmly secured the top spot at the global and domestic box office over heavy hitters like Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey.
Tags: Resident Evil, Box Office, Film Adaptation, Horror Gaming, Zach Cregger
Original article: IGN South Africa