Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” is now officially one of the most successful original films of the last decade. In just four weeks, the horror-musical vampire drama has surpassed $215 million at the North American box office, making it the first original (non-franchise) movie to surpass the $200 million domestic milestone since Pixar’s “Coco” in 2017 — and the first live-action film to do so since 2013’s “Gravity.”
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The film made a whopping $22 million in its fourth weekend, dropping only 34 percent despite losing IMAX screens to Marvel’s “Thunderbolts.” It will return to select IMAX screens on May 15. The film’s earnings globally total $284.2 million, with an expected trajectory toward at least $350 million worldwide — possibly even $400 million if interest stays steady.
Directed and co-written by Coogler, “Sinners” stars Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, and Delroy Lindo in a chilling tale set in the Jim Crow South.
The movie is also turning heads for Coogler’s groundbreaking ownership deal with Warner Bros. The studio agreed to return rights to “Sinners” back to Coogler after 25 years — an nearly unheard-of deal in Hollywood.
Coogler, who has an estimated net worth of $25 million, could potentially reap royalties from future licensing and streaming, rather than those profits going solely to the studio. He also receives a cut of box office revenue up front.
The film’s domestic-first success also signals an appetite for original, filmmaker-driven stories during a time when franchise fatigue is real. Its second weekend drop of a mere 5 percent ranks among the best ever for a film opening above $40 million, similar to what “Shrek” and “Avatar” also experinced. Additionally, “Sinners’ is one of the best-reviewed movies on Rotten Tomatoes ever. “Sinners” received a 98 percent score from 223 critics, and a 97 percent score from several thousand confirmed viewers on the popular movie review site.
And, with Oscar buzz building and possible premium video sales ahead, “Sinners” has become 2025’s box office surprise success.
