Resident Evil Star’s Survival Thriller Officially Removed From 2,600 Theaters After 3 Weeks
A weak box-office run
Austin Abrams’ follow-up survival thriller opened in theaters on October 16, roughly a month after the new Resident Evil reboot. Josh Brolin also stars in the film, directed by Brian Duffield.
The movie’s unusual premise drew attention before release: a diver is pulled alive into a whale’s belly. But the film did not recoup its reported budget, and its theater count dropped sharply. The reported timing differs, with one account placing the removal after three weeks and another describing a month-long release.
A stark contrast in results
Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot exceeded expectations, bringing in $400 million at the global box office. Its Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score reached 96%, a record for video game adaptations.
The reboot’s success did not carry over to Abrams’ next film. Duffield’s thriller has a 71% critics’ score and an 82% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Duffield’s earlier projects
Duffield previously directed Spontaneous, a dark comedy with a 96% critics’ score, and No One Will Save You, a wordless science-fiction thriller with an 82% score. His writing credits include Love and Monsters, which has a 94% score, and The Babysitter, with a 70% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Key points
- Austin Abrams’ survival thriller also stars Josh Brolin and was directed by Brian Duffield.
- The film failed to recoup its reported budget and saw a sharp theater-count decline.
- Resident Evil earned $400 million worldwide and received a 96% critics’ score.
- The timing of the theater drop is reported as both three weeks and about a month.