The action adventure, which sees Milla Jovovich battle zombies and a host of other deadly creatures, beat the performances of its two predecessors. Resident Evil, first released in 2002, grossed $17.7 million (£8.72 million) in its opening weekend, while the sequel Resident Evil: Apocalypse sold tickets worth $23 million (£11.33 million) upon its release in September 2004.
The latest film, which is based around a popular video game, was not the only eagerly anticipated movie this week as Brad Pitt's new flick,
The Assassination of Jesse James, was released in select theatres in the US.
Speaking to Variety magazine about the Hollywood hunk's latest film, Warner Brothers president of distribution Dan Fellman said: "We are going to continue to roll it out on a platform basis. We will slowly expand. We don't want to get caught speeding.
"We have a movie that is very upscale, and that is also long, which restricts its runs. Sometimes, slower is better," he added.
Dark Angel star Jessica Alba's date comedy Good Luck Chuck came in second to the Resident Evil sequel with $14 million (£6.89 million) in ticket sales.
The Brave One starring Jodie Foster, Russell Crowe's 3:10 to Yuma and Eastern Promises rounded out the top five at the US box office this week.
