"Zach Cregger's "Resident Evil" Predicted to Have Best Opening in Franchise History"

Interest in the new Resident Evil adaptation continues to grow.

Predictions for Zach Cregger's new "Resident Evil" continue to rise. According to a fresh estimate from Boxoffice Pro, the film could earn between $40 million and $50 million in US and Canadian cinemas during its opening weekend. Previously, the publication expected an opening within the range of $30-40 million.

Even the lower end of the new forecast would be enough to set a franchise record. The current record belongs to "Resident Evil: Afterlife," which grossed $26.65 million in its debut weekend in 2010. "Resident Evil: Apocalypse" and "Resident Evil: Extinction" opened with $23 million, while the original 2002 film started with $17.7 million.

The potential result is particularly different from the previous attempt to reboot the series. "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City" earned only $5.3 million at its opening in 2021. Even the lower end of the current forecast exceeds this amount by more than seven times.

The new "Resident Evil" will tell a standalone story within the Resident Evil universe. The main character, Brian, played by Austin Abrams, is tasked with delivering a container with a donor organ to a hospital in Raccoon City, but a simple courier mission turns into a harsh struggle for survival. Brian will have to fight his way through increasingly dangerous locations, search for weapons, and fend off mutants who become only more terrifying with each new encounter.

The premiere of the new "Resident Evil" in international cinemas is scheduled for September 18, 2026.