Resident Evil, the horror-survival video game adaptation from writer-director Zach Cregger, is set to race toward a strong box office debut. Sony Pictures plans to release the film in roughly 3,500 North American theaters on Friday, with studio projections suggesting a $40 million opening for the three-day weekend. Some third-party tracking services have even raised their expectations in recent days, hinting at a potential opening near $50 million or higher.

Franchise’s Highest-Grossing Opening

A $40 million debut would mark the highest-grossing opening in the history of the Resident Evil franchise. The previous movies in the series have collectively grossed more than $1.2 billion worldwide, but none have achieved a weekend start above that of the new film. With a production budget of $75 million, the film is being positioned as a major commercial gamble for Sony.

The movie, produced by TriStar Pictures, Constantin Film, and Davis Film, stars Austin Abrams as a medical courier tasked with delivering a key item during a deadly viral outbreak in Raccoon City. Supporting actors include Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser, but the film is the latest in a long-running cinematic series based on the popular Capcom video game series, which first launched in 1996.

Rebooting a Franchise with Mixed Reception

The first live-action Resident Evil film came in 2002, directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and starring Milla Jovovich. That film opened to $17.7 million domestically and eventually topped $100 million globally. Jovovich went on to star in five sequels before Kaya Scodelario took the lead in the 2021 reboot Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which underperformed at the box office.

While the franchise has not historically been known for critical success, the latest entry has received widespread praise. The film currently holds a 96 percent approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Hollywood Reporter’s Frank Scheck calling it a “propulsive, simultaneously terrifying and hilarious thrill ride that showcases both his cinematic chops and perverse sense of humor.”

Cregger, whose previous film, the Oscar-winning horror project Weapons, was released last summer, expressed confidence in the new film’s performance, but At the Los Angeles premiere, he told The Hollywood Reporter, “I felt pretty confident. We’ll see. Maybe I’m delusional, but I don’t think so — I’ve seen the movie, and I like it.”

Competition and Fall Box Office Momentum

This weekend’s opening is expected to give a significant boost to the early fall box office, which has seen a subdued start compared to recent years. The previous weekend saw Warner Bros.’ Practical Magic 2 take the top spot with a weak debut, ending Sony’s six-weekend winning streak with Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Earlier this week, the Tom Holland-led Spider-Man film passed Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens to become the top-grossing movie in domestic history.

Alongside Resident Evil, the stop-motion animated sequel Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is also set to open in wide release from GKIDS, though However, the horror reboot is expected to dominate the box office conversation given its high-profile cast and director, as well as the franchise’s long-standing appeal.