Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot has stormed China’s box office, not just breaking franchise records but rewriting the script for Hollywood horror in the region. The film opened on Monday, October 6, during the final stretch of China’s Golden Week holiday, and raked in $12.2 million across 114,000 screenings — a record-breaking debut for the series and the biggest opening day ever for any Hollywood horror film in the country. Previews on Sunday added another $813,000, with an astonishing 74% of tickets sold on the day of release, signaling strong walk-up demand. That’s rare for a genre that often relies on pre-sales. The film is already among the top three entries in the franchise’s China history and poised to claim the number one spot globally. It’s also nearing $250 million worldwide, with $125 million earned in North America after its third weekend. According to Luiz Fernando’s industry tracker, the movie has already booked $1.2 million in pre-sales for Tuesday, and will expand to over 116,000 screenings in China. Critics have praised the reboot, and the numbers suggest it’s not just a critical win, it’s a cultural moment. Whether this marks a shift in how global horror films are received in China, or if it’s a one-off surge tied to timing and hype, remains to be seen. But for now, the zombies are winning at the box office.