‘Resident Evil’ Sets a Franchise Record at $320 Million Worldwide

Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is the highest-grossing film in the franchise’s history. China put it over the top.

The reboot took in $62.65 million worldwide over the Oct. 9–11 weekend, according to Screen Daily, returning to the top of the global box office in its fourth week. Its worldwide total now stands at $320.2 million. That passes the $312.2 million made by 2016’s Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, the previous record holder in the eight-film series. The comparisons are not adjusted for inflation.

The weekend’s engine was China. The film opened there to an estimated $40.6 million, the best opening for a horror movie in the country in two years, timed to the National Day Golden Week holiday. Imax accounted for $7.7 million of the China opening. The film also opened in Japan over the weekend, taking in an estimated $3.5 million.

North America has contributed $138.5 million to the total. The film added $8.35 million in its fourth weekend, down 34% from the previous frame — a strong hold for a horror title in week four. International markets have added $181.7 million across 67 territories. After China, the biggest markets to date are the UK and Ireland at $17 million, Mexico at $11.8 million, Australia at $8.5 million, Germany at $7.3 million and Spain at $7.1 million.

The record is also a personal best for Cregger. His previous film, last year’s Weapons, made about $270 million worldwide. The new film was reported to cost $75 million to produce.

The reboot stars Austin Abrams as a medical courier driving a delivery through a snow-covered Raccoon City who crosses paths with a woman infected with the T-virus. It opened in the U.S. in mid-September.

The franchise has always played big in China. The Final Chapter made $159.5 million there in 2017, more than half of its global total.