{
  "id": 8727046,
  "title": "Box Office: ‘Resident Evil’ tops box office with franchise best debut of $60 million",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/box-office-resident-evil-tops-box-office-with-franchise-best-debut-of-8727046",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-20T16:20:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CityNews",
    "slug": "citynews",
    "url": "https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/09/20/box-office-resident-evil-tops-box-office-with-franchise-best-debut-of-60-million/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sony Pictures' \"Resident Evil\" made a strong debut in its first weekend at the North American box office, grossing $60 million from 3,684 locations in the U.S. and Canada, according to studio estimates. This marks the franchise's best opening weekend and the highest for any of the seven prior films in the series, which began in 2002. The film also outperformed most of its predecessors in domestic runs, with the sole exception being \"Resident Evil: Afterlife\" in 2010, which earned $60.1 million. The movie, directed by Zach Cregger, stars Austin Abrams as a medical courier battling infected creatures in Raccoon City. Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with the film holding a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience was primarily male (66%) and under the age of 35 (75%), according to PostTrak exit polls. Cregger's previous films, \"Barbarian\" and \"Weapons,\" have also defied box office norms, often performing well despite being in the horror genre.",
  "summary": "Zach Cregger’s “Resident Evil” gave the North American box office a shot in the arm in its first weekend in theaters. The Sony Pictures release earned $60 million in ticket sales from 3,684 locations in the U.S. and Canada, according to studio estimates Sunday.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Variety",
        "title": "Box Office: ‘Resident Evil’ Breaks Franchise Records With $60 Million Opening Weekend",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/box-office-resident-evil-breaks-franchise-records-with-60-million",
        "published": "2026-09-20T14:42:27.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "TheWrap",
        "title": "‘Resident Evil’ Scores a Bloody Good $60 Million Box Office Opening",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/resident-evil-scores-a-bloody-good-60-million-box-office-opening",
        "published": "2026-09-20T14:44:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Box Office: ‘Resident Evil’ tops box office with franchise best debut of $60 million",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/box-office-resident-evil-tops-box-office-with-franchise-best-debut-of",
        "published": "2026-09-20T16:20:21.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Deadline",
        "title": "‘Resident Evil’ Breaks Franchise Opening Records & Even Some Cumes With $108.3M WW; Also Zach Cregger’s Highest – Global Box Office",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/resident-evil-breaks-franchise-opening-records-even-some-cumes-with",
        "published": "2026-09-20T16:45:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IGN",
        "title": "Zach Cregger's Resident Evil Defies Expectations With $108 Million Box Office Opening Weekend",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/zach-creggers-resident-evil-defies-expectations-with-108-million-box",
        "published": "2026-09-20T18:50:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}