After great reviews and buzz, Ryan Coogler's vampire movie spent his second weekend at the box office. It's the victory of a completely original large budget movie in a film landscape dominated by a familiar franchise.
In less than two weeks since its release, Sinners have made more money at the U.S. box office than Disney’s Snow White. Can Ryan Coogler's vampire film continue to surpass this year's Disney hits, Mufasa: The Lion King and Captain America: A Brave New World? Absolutely possible. The Hollywood Reporter called the sinner a claim that “no rules violation” and “continue to resist all odds” as it was almost as profitable as the first weekend at U.S. cinemas, with the first weekend earning $45 million (£34 million) instead of $48 million (£36 million) on the opening. "In other words, Sinners has the second anniversary of any movie north of any movie north of the avatar in 2009, and is also the smallest movie in R-rated horror films," the article said. Meanwhile, the package predicts that it will be "the highest original live-action movie in the United States since the gravity of Alfonso Cuaron in 2013." The current global box office totals $161 million (£120 million), with a budget of $90 million (£67 million), and there may be a long distance left. Sinners is the winner - after a week of skepticism in Variety, "profitability remains a question mark."
Maybe this shouldn't be shocked. Coogler is the director of Creed and Black Panther movies, specializing in taking familiar Hollywood genres (sports dramas, superhero blockbusters) and putting their own unique acquaintance stamps on them. But this time he took a step more than usual. Sinners defended their Juke Joint with Michael B Jordan as a twin, a horror movie—but it was also a blues musical, a gangster thriller, a drama from the 1930s period of in-depth research on Mississippi. It does not adhere to a specific type of rule, nor is it based on existing intellectual property (IP), so the audience won't know how it will work. Thanks to some well-planned trailers, viewers can discover the story themselves – a increasingly rare treat. Looking back at new Hollywood movies often boil down to answering one question: “Is this a little better or slightly worse than every other Marvel/DC/Star Wars/Alien/Jurassic World/King Kong movie I’ve seen?” However, the sinner has traits that are enough to cause other questions, which could explain the momentum of its box office, as word of mouth has spread.
This unorthodox quality shows that Coogler made freedom. All of his previous films were based on other material - at his debut Fruitvale station, but he told the Atlantic that he didn't want to use the IP as "thing to hide behind." He wanted to make the most personal film - a "love letter" to his late uncle in Mississippi - which means a movie that doesn't follow the convention.
In some ways, it can be submitted with two other films, including the appeal of "must-see" and "must say" that is, "Material" in 2024 and Salt Book in 2023. Sinners are much greater than previous commercial success, but each offers an aggression, charging, harsh excitement, none of them are based on superhero comics, video games or early films, each expressing the vision of the writer-director, allowing the writer-director to do his own thing. (Their titles all start with s, but that may be a coincidence.) The fact that it is a tricky fact to say which type they belong to is a key factor. Is this substance mainly a body horror movie or a Hollywood satire? Is Saltburn a crime thriller or a class comedy? All of these movies stir together different ingredients to cook something unexpected. As Coogler said to the Atlantic: “I want you to feel like you’re listening to Salem records while listening to the best blues records and having a spicy bowl of soup.”
Anecdotal advice, that may be why many people have paid the price to see sinners. Because this is not a general, IP-based exercise, they know they will find more on their second view. They know they will have a great time doing it. Perhaps, if they also participate in third and fourth viewings, Hollywood might decide on original, large budget movies powered by Auteur are not that rare in the landscape of cinemas.