Resident Evil earned $8.8 million from Thursday preview screenings at the domestic box office, setting a new preview record for the film franchise. The previous high was $1 million for Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, so the new movie started nearly nine times higher before its first full day in theaters.

Preview screenings are early showings held before the regular Friday schedule. Their ticket sales are included in the movie’s opening-weekend total.

How big is Resident Evil’s preview record?

The $8.8 million came from 3,166 theaters. The old $1 million preview record had stood since The Final Chapter, while Resident Evil: Afterlife still holds the franchise’s full opening-weekend record at $26.6 million.

One night has already delivered about a third of Afterlife’s entire debut. Many eager fans attend previews, so Friday and Saturday will decide whether the movie also breaks the weekend record.

Austin Abrams as Bryan runs through a snowy Raccoon City street in Resident Evil.
Bryan spends one night trying to survive the Raccoon City outbreak in Resident Evil.

How much could Resident Evil make this weekend?

Current industry tracking puts the domestic opening between $40 million and $50 million, with some estimates going higher after the strong early response. A $40 million weekend would pass Afterlife by more than $13 million and set another franchise record.

The movie cost about $75 million to produce before marketing. A big opening would not cover every cost by itself, but it would give the film a strong start in theaters. Audience polling after Thursday previews also landed at 4.5 out of 5.

A woman is pulled away from a car during the Raccoon City outbreak in Resident Evil.
Resident Evil follows several people caught in the same deadly night across Raccoon City.

Who is in the new Resident Evil movie?

Austin Abrams leads the cast as Bryan, a medical courier trying to cross Raccoon City alive. Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Paul Walter Hauser also appear. Zach Cregger directed the R-rated, 90-minute film and co-wrote it with Shay Hatten.

The movie tells a new story during the outbreak instead of retelling Resident Evil 2. It still uses familiar monsters, weapons, healing items and survival rules from the games.

Our Resident Evil release guide covers the story setup, cast, runtime and theatrical release.

The next number to watch is $26.6 million. If the current forecast holds, Resident Evil will break the franchise’s full opening-weekend record before Sunday is over.