Resident Evil has opened with a 96% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, giving director Zach Cregger his highest-rated film to date and marking a new benchmark for the video game franchise.
The film also holds a 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The critics’ rating places the new Resident Evil well above the previous entries, none of which reached 40% with critics. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter had the franchise’s previous high at 39%.
Cregger’s latest film has also surpassed his earlier directorial work. Weapons, released in 2025, earned a 93% critics’ score, while Barbarian received 92% and Miss March 5%.
Deadline reported that Resident Evil was also recording the franchise’s strongest previews, with Thursday’s opening-night figures estimated at more than $8 million and potentially above $9 million.
The film had been tracking towards a $40 million-$50 million opening weekend.
The preview figure would exceed the previous franchise record held by Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, which made $1 million from previews.
Deadline also noted that the new film’s preview performance was ahead of films including Weapons, Scream 7, Mortal Kombat 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
The Sony and Constantin production follows Brian, a medical courier who must survive a viral outbreak involving infected monsters in Raccoon City.
The R-rated film released on September 18 and plays in premium large formats and IMAX.
