Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan’s vampire thriller dominates theaters with glowing reviews and a bigger-than-expected opening haul.
Nobody saw it coming quite like this. Ryan Coogler’s supernatural horror flick Sinners didn’t just sneak past box office forecasts — it tore through them with a vengeance.
Raking in a surprising $45.6 million domestically in its opening weekend, Sinners edged out A Minecraft Movie, which pulled $41.3 million in its third week. That surprise upset pushed the family-friendly hit to a domestic total nearing $345 million, but couldn’t stop the vampire drama from biting down on the top spot.
Coogler and longtime collaborator Michael B. Jordan have clearly found the secret sauce, and the movie’s rave reviews didn’t hurt either. In a genre often dismissed for its camp, Sinners has earned itself near-universal acclaim.
Critics Bit, and Audiences Followed
It’s not every day a horror movie gets 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 84 on Metacritic.
Those numbers put Sinners in rare company, especially for a film that leans into the supernatural. Critics praised its originality, its sharp direction, and Jordan’s intense, brooding performance.
Paul Dergarabedian from Comscore went as far as calling it “one of the best-reviewed No. 1 films ever,” which is saying a lot — horror is rarely a darling of the critics.
The buzz started building even before the first Friday showings. Word of mouth lit up social media, and ticket pre-sales spiked 48 hours ahead of its debut. By the time Sunday rolled around, it wasn’t just horror fans watching.
The Coogler-Jordan Effect
You can’t overlook the power of a duo with proven chemistry.
Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan have already struck gold with Fruitvale Station, Creed, and Black Panther. So, when word got out that they were teaming up for a fourth time, that alone made headlines.
“That star power for ‘Sinners’ (and) really kind of a fresh, original take on the vampire movie … helped bring out moviegoers,” said Shawn Robbins, founder of Box Office Theory and director of movie analytics at Fandango.
This time, their collaboration dipped into horror for the first time — but fans followed anyway, proving the pair’s draw stretches far beyond superheroes and boxing rings.
What It Means for Horror in 2025
This win is a big moment for the genre — and Hollywood’s taking notes.
Back in 2017, horror films cracked the billion-dollar mark with juggernauts like It and Get Out. Last year, the genre fell just shy of that with $948 million in domestic revenue. But Sinners is already shaping 2025 into something bigger.
Studios are watching closely. Dergarabedian explained that horror is especially attractive to filmmakers and executives because it’s:
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Relatively inexpensive to produce
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Often generates high profit margins
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Brings loyal fanbases who love showing up on opening weekend
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Works well with viral marketing and word-of-mouth
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Easier to franchise if the first film hits
Universal is already banking on this. With M3GAN 2.0 slated for June and Black Phone 2 creeping into theaters by October, the second half of 2025 could be downright chilling — in the best way.
Minecraft Still Holding Strong
Don’t let the No. 2 spot fool you — A Minecraft Movie is far from fading.
The third-week drop was minimal, a sign of strong legs. And with nearly $345 million already in the domestic bank, analysts like David A. Gross think this pixel-packed adventure has billion-dollar potential globally.
What’s fueling its momentum? A viral chicken jockey scene that’s practically a meme factory. TikTok clips are everywhere, and younger audiences are watching on repeat.
“This is mainstream action-adventure entertainment at its best,” Gross said. “Audiences are totally engaged.”
Looking Ahead to Summer
The box office is back on the upswing — and fast.
When Minecraft opened, domestic earnings were down 13% year-over-year. But with Sinners lighting the fuse and Minecraft holding firm, the year-to-date total has now flipped to a 5.3% gain over 2024.
The calendar isn’t slowing down, either. May is stacked with heavy hitters, including Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch and the long-awaited Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.
If this past weekend is any hint, 2025’s summer movie season might just be one for the books.
