Zach Cregger's Resident Evil is heading into the weekend with momentum that few franchise films ever get. The movie earned $8.8 million in Thursday night previews and is now tracking for at least $50 million in its opening weekend in the United States, a number that would give it the best start in the 24-year feature history of the series.
That is why the title is pulling so much attention now. If the tracking holds, Resident Evil Movie 2026 would not just beat the franchise's past domestic launch marks; it would clear them by a wide margin. Deadline said the frame is lined up for at least $50 million, with a chance for more, and the estimate already puts Cregger's film above his previous domestic best, Weapons, which opened with $43.5 million.
The scale of that comparison matters because the bar for this series has long been uneven. The weekend opening alone would top the final domestic takes of several earlier Resident Evil films, including 2012's Retribution, 2016's Final Chapter, 2021's Welcome to Raccoon City, 2004's Apocalypse and 2007's Extinction. In other words, the new film is not just chasing the franchise record; it is threatening to rewrite how the series has performed at the box office in the United States.
Early audience reaction points in the same direction. Last night's PostTrak result showed a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating, along with a 70% definite recommend from men over 25, who made up the biggest quadrant at 45% and gave the film a 75% definite recommend. Men under 25 accounted for 24% of attendance, women over 25 for 21% and women under 25 for 10%, while the crowd broke down as 41% Caucasian, 28% Latino and Hispanic, 13% Black, 11% Asian American and 7% Native American or other.
The one caveat is baked into the franchise's history. The highest grade any Resident Evil movie has ever received was a B, and that mark was reached three times before by the original film, Apocalypse and Final Chapter. Strong previews and healthy tracking can carry a movie a long way, but this series has often struggled to keep that energy after opening night.
For now, the clearer read is that Cregger has given Resident Evil something it has rarely had in theaters: broad curiosity, strong first-night turnout and the kind of audience response that can push a horror franchise past its old ceiling. The weekend result will show whether that momentum is enough to turn the biggest launch in the series into the biggest finish as well.
