Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ Grossed More in Its Opening Weekend Than the First Film Made in Its Entire Run — SkimNews
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- "Resident Evil" (Cregger's reboot) grossed $108.3M worldwide in its opening weekend — $60M domestic and $48.3M international — exceeding the 2002 original's entire ~$103M theatrical run, though the 2002 total still wins when adjusted for inflation.
- "Resident Evil" carries a $75M budget and stands to be highly profitable for Sony's TriStar Pictures, Constantin Film, and Davis Film, who hired Cregger between the release of "Barbarian" and "Weapons" before his quote had spiked.
- Zach Cregger has now delivered three consecutive hits: "Barbarian" earned $46.2M on a $4.5M budget; "Weapons" grossed $270M against a $38M budget and won Amy Madigan an Oscar for her role as Aunt Gladys.
- Vulture recently ranked Cregger the 17th most powerful director in Hollywood, a position that will climb after this opening; a "Weapons" prequel is already in the works.
- The "Resident Evil" franchise had bottomed out before this reboot — 2021's "Welcome to Raccoon City" grossed just $42M against its $25M budget, and Netflix canceled a "Resident Evil" television series in 2022.
Why it matters: A $108.3M opening against a $75M budget delivers immediate strong returns for Sony's TriStar, Constantin Film, and Davis Film on a franchise that was written off after a 2021 flop and a 2022 Netflix cancellation. Cregger's three-film track record ($46M, $270M, and now $108M+) gives him greenlight power on name alone — studios that passed on him during his "Barbarian" window will pay a premium for whatever he does next.
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