Sony Pictures' “Resident Evil” scored a franchise-best
$60 million in domestic box-office revenues for its opening weekend, according to Comscore.
The eighth edition in the 24-year-old franchise based on the zombie video game overdelivered on its
projections of $40 million to $50 million. This version more than doubles the total for 2010’s “Resident Evil: Afterlife” at $26 million.
"Practical Magic 2" dropped sharply
in its second domestic weekend, pulling in $12.1 million after earning $30 million during its opening week.
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Sony Pictures spent a modest $6.4 million in national TV advertising for “Resident Evil” -- with 231
airings, grabbing 199.1 million impressions, according to iSpot.
Ad spend was heavily focused on TV sports programming -- NFL Football ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” college football
and WWE Friday Night SmackDown.
In May, two horror/thriller movies scored surprisingly strong results: A24’s “Backrooms” -- now at $197.5 million in domestic revenue ($402.5
million worldwide) -- and Focus Features’ Obsession” with a $263.5 million domestic tally (516.8 million worldwide).
Season-to-date through September 19, movie studios' national TV
ad spend is down 13% to $491.3 million (149,146 airings collecting 40.8 billion impressions), according to iSpot. A year ago spend was at $566.9 million (212,544 and 51.3 billion impressions),