Resident Evil film by Zach Cregger logs at least $9 million in previews

• Deadline reported that U.S. Thursday previews reached at least $9 million, which would be a new record for the franchise.
• GameSpot gave the film an 8/10 and calls it the highest-rated video game adaptation so far in the article.

What happened

Resident Evil, directed by Zach Cregger, was released in the United States on September 18, 2026, after playing in previews the night before. According to GameSpot, citing Deadline, those Thursday previews brought in at least $9 million. That marks a notable jump from earlier entries in the series and would mean the film immediately set a new franchise record for Thursday-night showings in the U.S.

The article also explicitly notes that the previous record stood at $1 million, set by Resident Evil: The Final Chapter in 2016. GameSpot says no earlier Resident Evil film had crossed the $1 million mark in Thursday previews. That makes the leap to at least $9 million not only huge in absolute terms, but also massive compared with the rest of the series.

Deadline also estimated that the film could open to between $40 million and $50 million in its first U.S. weekend. That is not an official result, but it does suggest the movie was tracking for a strong start based on early market estimates. The same report also referenced Cregger’s previous film, Weapons, which reportedly made $5.75 million in previews and $43.5 million in its opening U.S. weekend. That comparison places Resident Evil in the broader context of Cregger’s recent commercial track record.

Beyond box office numbers, GameSpot also pointed to the film’s reviews. The site gave Resident Evil an 8/10 and says that makes it the highest-rated video game adaptation ever, based on its own score and early reactions. In the information provided, that claim is tied to the combination of the GameSpot rating and broader reception, though the ranking still depends on the comparison method used.

Background

Deadline also reported that the film had a $75 million budget, excluding marketing costs, though that figure has not been officially confirmed by the studio. As a result, it remains a reported production cost rather than a definitive studio-disclosed number. The same coverage says Cregger has ideas for more Resident Evil films, while also saying he has stated that he is done with franchise movies. That leaves his position on a possible sequel path somewhat mixed: there are creative ideas, but also clear reluctance toward long-term franchise commitments.

The article further says Cregger did not fully anticipate how much hardcore Resident Evil fans would reject his film idea. The full quote is not spelled out in the source material, so the exact wording remains unclear. What is clear is that the reaction from dedicated players and viewers played a role in how the film was discussed ahead of release.

The combination of a strong preview haul, a possible $40 million to $50 million opening estimate, and a relatively large $75 million budget paints a picture of a film that needs to perform well commercially to justify its cost base. At the same time, GameSpot’s 8/10 score shows the movie is not relying only on box office buzz, but also on positive critical reception. In the provided information, that reception is also linked to the claim that Resident Evil is now the highest-rated video game adaptation ever, though that remains an editorial comparison rather than an official industry metric.

Related GAME-scanner articles

• Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot gets early praise and 96% on Rotten Tomatoes
• Resident Evil: Zach Cregger filmed through pneumonia and Campylobacter during freezing shoot in Czechia
• Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil scores 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 80 on Metacritic

Sources

• GameSpot: The Resident Evil movie is already breaking records (with reference to Deadline)