Franchise Fever Grips Fall: Resident Evil Eyes Record $50M, Soul Train Awards Rise from the Dead, and Hollywood's Nostalgia Machine Runs Hot

September's first week delivered a concentrated blast of franchise firepower and cultural reckoning. From tracking numbers suggesting a zombie movie might steal the month to an awards show rising from its three-year slumber, Hollywood is showing its hand for fall—and the hand is stacked with IP.

The Players

• Zach Cregger: His Resident Evil reboot is tracking for a $35-50M domestic opening on Sept. 18, which would be the biggest in the franchise's seven-film history. The...