Michael B. Jordan and director Ryan Coogler are back to doing what they do best—delivering cinematic hits with bite. Their latest collaboration, the R-rated horror-thriller Sinners, has made a chilling entrance at the box office with $4.7 million from Thursday previews in North America.
This marks a strong start for the film’s opening weekend, where it’s projected to earn anywhere between $45 million to $50 million domestically, with some industry insiders suggesting it could go even higher. Warner Bros., however, has issued a more conservative forecast, estimating the film will land somewhere between $35 million to $40 million. With an additional $10 million to $15 million expected from international markets, Sinners is poised to deliver a wickedly strong first weekend.
Vampires, Brothers, and Southern Gothic Horror
Set in the American South shortly after World War I, Sinners follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack—both played by Michael B. Jordan—who return to their hometown only to uncover a dark, vampiric force feeding off the community. The film dives deep into themes of family, trauma, and survival, all while wrapping its narrative in a haunting atmosphere.
Joining Jordan is an impressive supporting cast, including Hailee Steinfeld, Delroy Lindo, Jack O’Connell, and Wunmi Mosaku. Their performances elevate the film’s tension and emotional resonance, making Sinners more than just a genre piece—it’s a full-bodied experience.
Jordan and Coogler: A Cinematic Brotherhood
This is the fifth collaboration between Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler, a partnership that has consistently yielded critical and commercial success. From their breakout indie hit Fruitvale Station to the globally dominant Creed and Black Panther films, the duo has built a reputation for blending compelling storytelling with genre innovation. With Sinners, they enter the horror realm for the first time—and early signs suggest they’ve brought their trademark emotional depth and visual flair with them.
As reported by Variety, Sinners is already outperforming expectations and could join the ranks of recent horror hits that have surprised at the box office. If word-of-mouth remains strong, the film may continue drawing audiences long after its opening weekend.
Warner Bros. on a Winning Streak
The early success of Sinners also signals a welcome rebound for Warner Bros., following underwhelming performances from The Alto Knights, a gangster drama starring Robert De Niro, and Bong Joon Ho’s ambitious sci-fi Mickey 17. The studio now seems to have found its footing again.
A major factor in this resurgence is the record-breaking success of A Minecraft Movie, which has become the highest-grossing film of 2025 so far, amassing $283 million at the US box office and $557 million globally. The video game adaptation shattered previous records, including the biggest opening for a video game movie—surpassing The Super Mario Bros. Movie—and is now on track to become 2025’s first billion-dollar blockbuster.
Heading into its third weekend, Minecraft is projected to earn another $40 million to $45 million, showing remarkable staying power.
Double Hit, Strong Momentum
With Sinners joining Minecraft in lighting up theaters, Warner Bros. now boasts two consecutive hits in April. That kind of momentum is exactly what the studio needs as it gears up for its next slate of releases.
If Sinners continues to attract both genre fans and general audiences, it could signal a return to form for original horror properties at the box office—a genre that thrives on atmosphere, originality, and word-of-mouth.
A Gritty, Gripping Start to a Promising Run
Directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan in dual roles, Sinners looks like a breakout horror success with box office fangs to match its thematic depth. The film’s mix of southern gothic atmosphere, post-war trauma, and supernatural horror is proving to be a winning combination.
As horror continues to evolve, Sinners is proof that bold storytelling and strong performances can still draw big crowds. With full weekend numbers expected soon, all eyes are on whether this vampire tale will become the next genre juggernaut of 2025.
