Sony's upcoming Zach Cregger-directed reboot of "Resident Evil" is projected to smash the franchise's domestic opening-weekend record, potentially by a factor of three, ahead of its 18 September release. The buzz reflects both a heavy marketing push, including a major PLF and IMAX rollout, and the strong reputation Cregger has built with his previous horror hits, giving the long-running but critically mixed franchise a possible commercial and reputational boost.

Early estimates suggest a domestic debut of around $35 million, with some forecasts, including one from Global Box Office, predicting over $70 million, far surpassing the series' current record held by "Resident Evil: Afterlife". The film, starring Austin Abrams alongside Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Paul Walter Hauser, reportedly cost $80 million to make and follows a medical courier caught up in an outbreak in Raccoon City. Cregger's prior films, "Barbarian" and "Weapons", both performed strongly and were well-reviewed, with "Weapons" earning Amy Madigan an Oscar, contrasting with the "Resident Evil" franchise's historically poor critical reception.