Ryan Coogler’s horror-thriller Sinners has taken the box office by storm, earning exceptional numbers and drawing comparisons to the groundbreaking success of James Cameron’s Avatar (2009). The film’s performance suggests that its appeal has extended far beyond the typical horror genre audience, attracting mainstream moviegoers eager to experience the buzz surrounding it. The audience demographics have evolved over the past week, with men making up 56% of the audience last weekend, and this weekend the gender split was more balanced at 50/50. Additionally, high-end viewing formats like IMAX, including 70mm screenings, have played a significant role in boosting the film’s success, contributing to around 21% of its global earnings for the second weekend—a nearly 9% increase from the previous week.
Sinners, which stars Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers, initially gained attention thanks to glowing reviews, blending elements of horror, drama, action, and music within a southern gothic backdrop.
Industry experts are calling the film’s second-week performance a phenomenon. “A 50% or more drop in a film’s second weekend is expected, but for a film like Sinners, the smaller drop is a clear sign of its lasting appeal,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “A successful second-week hold is the true test of a film’s staying power.” With Sinners holding strong in its second week, the film demonstrates staying power that many expected it to lose after an initially strong opening.
This is especially notable in the context of the film’s marketing and audience reception. While a blockbuster opening can be aided by aggressive marketing, the second week proves that the film’s quality and appeal are what truly drive its ongoing success.
Produced by Coogler’s Proximity Media in partnership with Warner Bros., Sinners follows the recent success of A Minecraft Movie, marking a win for the studio after a tough start to the year. The film outperformed notable new releases, including The Accountant 2, starring Ben Affleck, which came in third with an estimated $24.5 million in its opening weekend.
Meanwhile, a re-release of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith claimed second place with $25.2 million in domestic earnings, while the anniversary screening of Revenge of the Sith raked in $42.2 million globally over the weekend. A Minecraft Movie continues to perform strongly, ranking fourth with $22.7 million in its second weekend.
The successful performances of Sinners and A Minecraft Movie have delivered a significant boost to the April box office, with overall earnings up 102% compared to April 2024. This momentum is helping to offset a slower start to the year, as the box office has risen over 10% compared to last year after a challenging March. With the summer movie season set to begin in early May, these successes could signal a strong start to the upcoming months. As Dergarabedian put it, “There couldn’t be a better way to kick off the summer movie season than this weekend’s performances.”
