Zach Cregger's Resident Evil Poised for Record-Breaking Opening Weekend

The upcoming Resident Evil film directed by Zach Cregger is anticipated to achieve the most profitable opening weekend of any movie adaptation based on Capcom's iconic horror franchise.

According to predictions from Box Office Pro, a trade publication, Cregger's Resident Evil is projected to earn between $40 million and $50 million during its opening weekend in September. This figure would surpass the previous record holder, Resident Evil: Afterlife, which grossed $26.65 million upon its release in 2010.

For context, Resident Evil: Apocalypse and Resident Evil: Extinction each garnered approximately $23 million on their opening weekends. The original 2002 Resident Evil film opened to $17.7 million, while the most recent installment, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021), had the lowest opening weekend, a result not entirely surprising given its negative reception from both fans and critics.

There is significant excitement surrounding Cregger's interpretation of the series, despite his decision to deviate from a direct game adaptation. Instead of replicating the game narratives, Cregger focuses on an ordinary individual caught in the Raccoon City Incident, a creative approach that appears to be well-received.

Cregger's film incorporates subtle nods to the games, such as a character scrambling for ammunition, references to specific in-game shotguns, first-person action sequences, a typewriter, and the mention of the Umbrella Corporation. Given Cregger's successful track record with acclaimed horror films like "Barbarian" and "Weapons," this fresh perspective on the beloved video game franchise is generating considerable buzz.

In an interview with IGN, Cregger explained his decision to take liberties with the source material, stating, "I am not trying to adapt a video game. I'm not using the characters from the games. I'm not telling a story that the games tell because I'm not going to be able to do it better than the games." He elaborated that the characters and stories in the games are already so well-realized that any attempt to directly adapt them might detract from their original impact.

Early reactions have described Cregger's Resident Evil as an exhilarating, non-stop thrill ride, even likening it to "the Fury Road of horror." With a runtime of one hour and 35 minutes, this description sets high expectations. Audiences eagerly await the film's release on September 18 to see if these box office predictions hold true.