Resident Evil Sets Preview Record Ahead of Release, Eyes Major Box Office Opening

The horror genre has enjoyed a strong run at the box office this year, and the latest film looking to extend that momentum is the new ‘Resident Evil’ movie. Based on the hugely popular video game franchise, the film has already created a major buzz before its official release by setting a new preview earnings record for the series.

The new ‘Resident Evil’ has earned $8.8 million from preview screenings, equivalent to roughly Tk 108 crore. It is reportedly the biggest preview haul ever recorded for a film in the franchise.

The strong early performance has raised expectations for the movie’s opening weekend and could give director Zach Cregger another major box-office success following the success of ‘Weapons’.

Strong opening weekend expected

Made on a reported budget of around $75 million, ‘Resident Evil’ is projected to earn between $40 million and $50 million during its opening weekend in the United States.

If positive reviews and audience reactions translate into stronger demand, the film could potentially reach around $60 million in its opening frame.

The movie is also expected to challenge for the top spot at the weekend box office. With ‘Practical Magic 2’ failing to perform as strongly as expected after its release last week, ‘Resident Evil’ enters the weekend with a clear opportunity to dominate the market.

A deadly mission in a zombie-infected city

The film stars Austin Abrams, who plays Brian, a medical courier whose routine assignment quickly turns into a fight for survival.

Brian is sent to deliver a mysterious package and enters a city devastated by a deadly zombie outbreak. What begins as a simple delivery mission soon becomes a terrifying struggle to stay alive.

Cregger takes over directing duties after the success of his previous horror film ‘Weapons’, making ‘Resident Evil’ an important next step in his career.

Following the success of Weapons

‘Weapons’, released last year, was made on a budget of around $43 million and earned approximately $5.7 million from previews. The film went on to gross around $270 million worldwide, becoming a major success relative to its production budget.

The success helped establish Cregger as one of the notable names in contemporary horror filmmaking. A strong performance from ‘Resident Evil’ would give him back-to-back commercial successes in the genre.

A franchise with decades of history

‘Resident Evil’ began not as a movie franchise but as a video game series in 1996. Over the years, it expanded through numerous sequels, spin-offs and remakes before making its way into film and television.

The franchise became a major presence on the big screen during the 2000s and 2010s, particularly through the series of films starring Milla Jovovich and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson.

The highest-grossing film in the franchise remains ‘Resident Evil: Afterlife’, released in 2010. It opened with around $26 million in the United States and went on to gross nearly $300 million worldwide.

Whether the new ‘Resident Evil’ can challenge that franchise benchmark remains to be seen. But with a record preview haul already secured, the film is heading into its release with considerable box-office expectations.