TORONTO MOVIE/TV NEWS

Sunday, September 12, 2010

"Resident Evil" Shows Good Returns

Screen Gems' Toronto-lensed 3D feature, "Resident Evil: Afterlife" dominated the box office over the weekend, earning an estimated $27.7 million from 3,203 theaters domestically and another $45.5 million in 35 international markets for a worldwide total of $73.2 million.

Budgeted at $60 million, the sequel stars Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Kim Coates, Shawn Roberts, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Spencer Locke, Boris Kodjoe, Wentworth Miller and Sienna Guillory.

The $27.7 million opening marked the best of the franchise, topping 2007's Toronto-lensed "Resident Evil: Extinction" ($23.7 million).


"Resident Evil: Afterlife", is produced by Jeremy Bolt, Toronto's Don Carmody, Bernd Eichinger, Samuel Hadida and Robert Kulzer.

Milla Jovovich returns to the role of 'Alice', a former 'Umbrella Corporation' security officer whose exposure to the 'T-Virus' granted her superhuman abilities. Since her escape from 'Raccoon City', she has been hunted by Umbrella, who intends to use her DNA in order to control the virus' mutation. As the film's main protagonist, Alice seeks to settle her score with Umbrella and its elusive chairman, 'Albert Wesker'.

The $60 million budgeted Screen Gems feature, opening in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D, is the fourth installment of the video game movie adaptation, also starring Ali Larter, Kim Coates, Shawn Roberts, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Spencer Locke, Boris Kodjoe, Wentworth Miller and Sienna Guillory.

'Chris Redfield', a primary character from the video games will be featured for the first time in the film franchise. Other characters from the games and films who return include 'Claire Redfield', 'Jill Valentine' and Albert Wesker.

"Afeterlife" is also noted for incorporating director James Cameron's '3D Fusion Camera System', recently used for "Avatar".

"...since the events of 'Resident Evil: Extinction', 'Alice' has been roaming the world searching for any remaining survivors. She also comes face to face with her arch-nemesis, 'Albert Wesker'. As she enters the ruined Los Angeles, she stumbles onto a base of 'Umbrella', surrounded by 'zombies'. She then teams up with a group of survivors who had been hiding in Los Angeles since the 'T-virus' outbreak, and helps them to free another group held-up in a prison, among them the brother of 'Claire', 'Chris Redfield'..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Resident Evil: Afterlife"...