Resident Evil is shambling back into theaters with enough bite to make the box office nervous. Zach Cregger’s R-rated live-action reboot arrives September 18, 2026, bringing a completely fresh story to the horror franchise. With a $75 million budget and a projected $45 million opening, Resident Evil could be headed for its biggest debut yet. And with so many movies making such big waves at the box office this year, why not?

All that intrigue seems to be paying off, as the zombie-filled reboot charges toward a potentially record-breaking box-office run.

The undead are apparently bringing some very healthy numbers to the box office. Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot is currently tracking toward a $40 million to $50 million domestic opening, with $45 million emerging as the industry midpoint. If those projections hold, the horror reboot would comfortably surpass the franchise’s previous $26.65 million opening record with Resident Evil: Afterlife.

That would put the R-rated Resident Evil reboot in a rather enviable position before audiences have even had the chance to meet its latest collection of monsters. The Sony Pictures and Constantin Film production carries a $75 million budget, while strong test-screening reactions have helped build considerable interest around the theatrical release. Suddenly, the fresh start looks rather promising.

An $80 million global opening would also give the Resident Evil reboot a substantial head start toward profitability. With Zach Cregger, the filmmaker behind Barbarian and Weapons, steering this new chapter, and it being called one of the filmmaker's best, the horror franchise has plenty of reasons to attract curious audiences. For now, though, all eyes are on whether the projected $45 million domestic debut becomes reality.

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With Resident Evil potentially outrunning its predecessors, the real box-office race now lies in how it fares against the competition.

Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil will have plenty of company at the box office, but very little of it appears positioned to steal its spotlight. The September 18 weekend brings holdover Practical Magic 2, while Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey continue their runs. The Weight and Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom will also open, targeting different audiences.

The bigger challenge arrives September 25, when Brad Pitt’s Heart of the Beast, DreamWorks’ Forgotten Island, and Robert Pattinson’s Primetime enter the race. Horror fans, however, get a longer stretch of breathing room, with Resident Evil facing no direct genre competition until Blumhouse and Universal’s Other Mommy arrives October 9, starring Jessica Chastain. With the runway relatively clear, Resident Evil is tracking toward a franchise-best opening.

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Do you think Resident Evil will manage to become the highest-grossing Resident Evil movie? Let us know in the comments!