Box Office: ‘Resident Evil’ Reboot Targets Franchise-Best $45 Million Debut — SkimNews
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- Sony is targeting $40 million to $50 million for the domestic debut of its "Resident Evil" reboot, with rival tracking services believing it could near $60 million on strong reviews.
- Sony spent $75 million to produce the eighth installment in the horror series, directed by Zach Cregger and starring Austin Abrams as a medical courier fighting a viral outbreak in Raccoon City.
- Zach Cregger previously directed "Weapons," which opened to $43 million, grossed $270 million globally against a $38 million budget, and won Amy Madigan an Oscar.
- The reboot would easily surpass the franchise's previous best opening of $26 million set by 2010's "Resident Evil: Afterlife," since all six Milla Jovovich films opened in the $20 million range.
- The 2021 reboot "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City" flopped with $42 million worldwide against a $25 million budget and a $5.3 million domestic debut, making this weekend's performance a high-stakes redemption test.
Why it matters: This weekend's only major new release carries Sony's $75 million bet on Zach Cregger, whose "Weapons" success turned him into one of Hollywood's most-watched horror directors. An opening above $50 million would validate the studio's pivot away from the Jovovich-era action-horror template and reset expectations for the 20-year-old zombie franchise.
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