Ryan Coogler’s hit vampire flickSinnerstopped the box office on its opening weekend, generating $48 million from movie theaters across the U.S. and an additional $15.9 million at the global box office for $63.5 million. The original R-rated vampire film became the second-biggest debut in ticket sales after Jordan Peele’sUs, which made $71 million in its opening weekend in 2019. While the film’s profitability remains a question, given that Warner Bros. invested $90 million in the production ofSinners, the period genre movie has exceeded expectations. According to reports fromVulture, there was a bidding war for Coogler’sSinnersin January 2024 after it was passed around various Hollywood studios.The reasoning behind the constant struggle to find a home for the film is sparking controversy in Hollywood, the kind that makes executives quiver.
Once the script caught Hollywood’s attention, many studios were racing to get their hands on the film until the director’s agents at WME discussed the nonnegotiable fine print with those studios. The $90 million asking price was a walk in the park for executives until they were notified that Coogler would retain final cut rights, meaning he would have creative control over the final edited version of the movie, something typically reserved for the higher-ups. The director would also command first-dollar gross, which means a percentage of the gross income from the first dollar earned at the box office would be given to him without having to wait for profitability for the studio.Another string attached, which was nearly a dealbreaker for studios, was that 25 years after the film’s release, ownership rights ofSinnerswould go back to Coogler. While other studios said no, Warner Bros. conceded.
The Original Concept of ‘Sinners’ Caught Hollywood’s Attention
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Sinnersis written, produced, and directed by Ryan Coogler, who also directedCreed(2015) and bothBlack Panther(2018) andBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever(2023), and stars Michael B. Jordan, who portrays identical twins, Smoke and Stack. The film is set in the1930s during the Jim Crow eraand follows the twin brothers returning to their hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi, after working for the infamous gangster Al Capone in Chicago. They use the money from their time in Chicago to open a juke joint, but their plans are thwarted once they face a sinister entity looming over their hometown: bloodthirsty vampires.
After their business suffers an attack from the vampires, the twins clash with the undead. In his film, Coogler explores themes of racism, exploitation, and the power of music while incorporating thesupernatural elements of vampiricism, which has been synonymous with the concept of otherness. Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Tenaj L. Jackson, Wunmi Mosaku, Omar Benson Miller, Delroy Lindo, and many more join Michael B. Jordan in the period film. Coogler and Jordan have worked together since 2013, when Coogler made his directorial debut. They’ve collaborated on projects includingFruitvale Station(2013),Creed(2015),Black Panther(2018),Black Panther: Wakanda Forever(2022), and now,Sinners(2025).
The ‘Sinners’ Deal That’s Terrifying Hollywood
The script forSinnerswas floating from studio to studio, not becauseCoogler’s vision wasn’t exceptional, but because of the strings that came attached to it. Several Hollywood studios were ready to greenlight the film with its $90 million budget and original storyline. However, many turned the director away because he asked for reasonable demands that allow the artist to own his art, which is a big no-no in the entertainment industry.
In the negotiating process, Coogler and his agents at WME told studios that the director had three important, non-negotiable dispensations: final cut rights, command of first-dollar gross income, and ownership rights to the film 25 years after its release. The latter was the dealbreaker for many studios until it reached Warner Bros., which ultimately agreed, given that the film is in theaters today.
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Coogler isn’t the first to shake up Hollywood with similar demands. In 2017, Quentin Tarantino struck a similar deal with Sony forOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood. It was down to Warner Bros. and Sony to retain the rights to produce the film, but it was ultimately Sony who was willing to cede copyright control. In the rare deal, the studio agreed to revert the ownership rights to Tarantino after a certain amount of time had passed since the film’s release.
According toThe Hollywood Reporter, several sources have gone back and forth on the specifics of the timeframe, with some saying 30 years and others saying 20 years, while one said it was after 10 years that the multi-Oscar winner would have the copyright to the Oscar-winning film. Aside from Tarantino, George Lucas and Mel Gibson are the other auteurs with ownership rights, and nowCoogler joins the elite short list. Whether this remains a trend is yet to be seen, but those artists shouldn’t give up on wanting to own their work.
‘Sinners’ Has Exceeded Box Office Expectations for a Horror Film
While Warner Bros. waits to see whether it will turn a profit,Sinnershas already set a precedentfor other horror films with its opening weekend numbers. It’s made cinema history by becoming the first horror film to officially earn an “A” CinemaScore, a significant first in the exit poll org’s 39-year existence. The grade comes directly from audiences, who historically don’t favor horror films. The average score for a horror film has typically fallen within the B-range, and a B+ has been considered a good score for the genre.
The most recent films that have earned a B+ CinemaScore areIt(2017),A Quiet Place(2018), andBlack Phone(2021). There are films that were given an A- CinemaScore, includingThe Lost Boys(1987),Child’s Play 2(1990),The Silence of the Lambs(1991),The Conjuring(2013),The Conjuring 2(2016),Get Out(2017),A Quiet Place Part II(2020), andFive Nights at Freddy’s(2023).
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Critics have strong opinions about horror films, butSinnersis the exception. The film has a 98% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and a 97% audience score, all thanks to Coogler’s ability to address and honor Black culture and incorporate horror elements to enhance the historical centerpiece. There’s action, emotion-filled sequences, and gore; a little bit of something for everyone, but still breaks the traditional horror movie formula. Both established and new talent make the film what it is, and it’s definitely worth watching, paying attention to those themes that have impacted audiences worldwide. Coogler has created a masterpiece of a film, and it’s already generating Oscar buzz for 2026.Sinnersis in theaters now.
