Ryan Coogler’s Vampire Thriller Starring Michael B. Jordan Stuns With Near-Perfect Reviews and Strong Word-of-Mouth
In a shocking Easter weekend upset, Ryan Coogler’s supernatural period thriller Sinners soared past expectations and overtook A Minecraft Movie to claim the No. 1 spot at the North American box office.
The R-rated film, starring Michael B. Jordan in dual roles, grossed $48 million from 3,308 theaters — including IMAX screens — surpassing earlier estimates of $40 million and Sunday’s projection of $45.6 million.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros.’ other major release, Minecraft, took in $40.5 million, a strong showing for its third weekend, but not enough to hold off Sinners. Still, it has surpassed $700 million globally, making it 2025’s first major contender for the $1 billion mark.
A Double Win for Warner Bros.
It’s a banner Easter for Warner Bros., which commanded 64% of the box office market, becoming the first studio since 2009 to have two films gross over $40 million in a single weekend.
The success of Sinners is especially sweet for studio heads Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, who backed the project from concept to release. Their gamble on an original, genre-bending vampire thriller paid off handsomely. With Sinners pulling in $15.5 million overseas, the film’s global total stands at $63.5 million after just one weekend.
Sinners — A Bloody Good Start
Set in 1932 Mississippi, Sinners follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played by Jordan), who return home to open a juke joint after surviving World War I and Chicago’s violent underworld. But their ambitions are soon challenged by unexpected supernatural horrors lurking in their segregated hometown.
With a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes, an A CinemaScore, and perfect PostTrak ratings, the film marks Coogler’s best-reviewed work to date. The film’s audience was highly diverse:
- 38% Black
- 35% White
- 18% Latino
- 5% Asian
- 4% Native American/Other
📊 Quick Facts:
- Budget: $90 million
- Genre: Supernatural/Horror
- Lead Actor: Michael B. Jordan (dual role)
- Director: Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther)
- Unique Deal: Rights revert to Coogler in 25 years
Minecraft Still a Juggernaut
Despite slipping to second place, Minecraft continues to break records:
- $343.8M domestic total
- $374M international total
- $717.8M worldwide gross
Based on the globally popular video game, Minecraft remains on track to potentially cross the $1 billion mark, thanks to strong overseas interest, especially with $57 million earned internationally over Easter.
Easter Weekend Roundup
- 3rd Place: The King of Kings (Angel Studios) – $17.3M in its second weekend with an A+ CinemaScore
- 4th Place: The Amateur (Disney/20th Century) – $7.2M, global total $64.3M
- 5th Place: Warfare (A24) – $4.9M, boosted by military discounts
🎥 Sinners has officially resurrected the original genre film at the box office. With strong legs and critical acclaim, it could be the unexpected horror breakout of 2025 — and another milestone in the Coogler-Jordan collaboration legacy.