Sinners Just Passed A Box Office Milestone Not Seen In Nearly A Decade
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Following its blockbuster debut in theaters in mid-April, "Sinners" has been on a box office tear that has defied even the most optimistic expectations. That's particularly the case in North America, where director Ryan Coogler's widely acclaimed vampire flick has held its own against the likes of "A Minecraft Movie" and Marvel's "Thunderbolts*," among other titles. Now, Coogler's latest film officially ranks as one of the biggest original movies of any kind that Hollywood has produced in nearly a decade.
In its fourth weekend in theaters, "Sinners" added another $22 million domestically, marking just a 34% drop. That was good enough for the number two spot, with "Thunderbolts*" winning its second weekend with $33 million. More importantly, Warner Bros. and Coogler's blockbuster collaboration has now made $215.3 million domestically to go with $68.9 million internationally for a running global total of $284.2 million. That domestic number is of grave importance, as this is the first original movie that has managed to cross the $200 million mark since 2017.
The last time it happened? When Disney and Pixar's "Coco" made $814 million worldwide, with $210 million of that impressive haul coming from ticket sales in the U.S. But that was a family-friendly movie released during the box office boom we were enjoying before the pandemic upended things in 2020. The last time a live-action movie accomplished this feat? The last movie to do so was "Gravity" ($274 million domestic/$723 million worldwide) way back in 2013. So yeah, we're firmly in holy s*** territory right now.
Ryan Coogler's Sinners continues to defy expectations
Coogler, whose directing credits include smash hits such as "Black Panther" and "Creed," has made quite the name for himself in the realm of franchise filmmaking. What's so impressive about this movie's success is that his good name clearly extends beyond those properties. Michael B. Jordan headlining a killer ensemble in "Sinners" that also includes Hailee Steinfeld and Delroy Lindo certainly doesn't hurt either. Even with its $90 million price tag, this is going to be a huge winner for Warner Bros. as it's now all but assured to get to at least $350 million globally, if not closer to $400 million.
"Sinners" had already defied expectations when its second weekend drop of 5% gave it one of the best holds of all time for any movie that opened to at least $40 million, trailing only "Shrek" and "Avatar" in that category. That's some mighty fine company to be in. One thing that does stick out, though, is just how much the overseas numbers are trailing domestic ticket sales. Is it just that WB didn't market effectively in other countries? Did the studio believe the material wasn't going to play as well outside of the U.S.? Either way, it does seem like there was a bit of a misfire there.
Setting that aside, "Sinners" has become the box office story of 2025 so far. It's outstanding news for those who want to see more original cinema in theaters, as well as those who want to see the theatrical experience thrive once again. It's also equally outstanding news for Coogler, who now joins the ranks of Christopher Nolan and a select few directors who can pretty much do whatever they wish next. The whole situation is equal parts impressive and encouraging.