Resident Evil: Afterlife looks to become the most profitable film yet in the lucrative franchise thanks to 3D ticket sales and no major competition, which helped the videogame adaptation top the weekend box office in North America and several international territories.

The Toronto-shot Afterlife – the first Resident Evil film in 3D – generated $28 million in ticket sales in North America, besting the $24 million opening of 2007’s Resident Evil: Extinction and $23 million for Apocalypse in 2004.

In Canada, Afterlife was the top grosser with $3 million for Alliance Films, while the film also opened number one in Russia, Japan, Britain and Spain – for a total worldwide weekend take of $73 million.

“[The film] far exceeded expectations,” producer Don Carmody tells Playback Daily, though he says there are no plans as of yet for a fifth installment. “[We are] still enjoying the buzz.”

Afterlife, which shot last year at Toronto’s Cinespace Studios under director Paul W.S. Anderson, is Carmody’s third Resident Evil film. (He passed on number three).

Milla Jovovich reprises her role as gun-wielding heroine Alice who continues her battle against the Umbrella Corp. and the undead. The film, based on the videogame series developed by Capcom is budgeted at $60 million, and also stars Ali Larter (Resident Evil: Extinction) and Wentworth Miller (Prison Break).

Afterlife opens in other major markets including Brazil, Korea, Mexico and Sweden next weekend.