Less than three weeks after its release, Zach Cregg's new Resident Evil film has grossed over $250 million worldwide. Instead of directly adapting the game's story or featuring protagonists familiar to players, the new film centers on an original character's experiences in Raccoon City.
Foreign media estimate the film's production budget at approximately $75–80 million; its North American opening weekend box office was $60.15 million, with cumulative U.S. box office exceeding $124.8 million, and international box office around $120.5 million.
The film stars Austin Abrams as Brian, a medical courier. Caught in the outbreak and monster chaos of Raccoon City, his lack of combat training frames the story from an ordinary person's perspective. Scarce ammunition and an oppressive environment bring the film closer to the survival horror experience of the Resident Evil games. Thus, the new film chooses to borrow the game's setting and atmosphere rather than directly retelling existing game plots.
