Fans React To “Biased” Media Reports Of ‘Sinners’ Box Office Numbers

Ryan Coogler’s new horror-thriller Sinners has become both a box office juggernaut and the center of a heated media debate, after several outlets came under fire for what many social media users described as biased and coded coverage of the film’s success.

Though reports acknowledge that Sinners, starring Michael B. Jordan, is an overwhelming financial and critical success, some critiques embedded in the reporting have left audiences frustrated — and they’re letting it be known.

One widely circulated article acknowledged Sinners‘s historic debut, noting that the film achieved the highest CinemaScore ever for a horror movie.

Still, the report urged readers to temper their celebration, emphasizing that the film has yet to recoup its budget, a comment many deemed unnecessary and inconsistent with how other big-budget films — particularly those led by non-Black directors — have been covered.

Even more incendiary was the article’s observation that Sinners‘s opening weekend audience was “predominantly Black,” followed by the suggestion that the film “could benefit from broadening its reach among other demographics.”

This sparked outrage across social platforms, with one user posting: “I really want to know if the Times has EVER pointed out when a movie’s CinemaScore audience was mostly white and suggested it diversify its audience to find true success,” alongside a screenshot from the article.

Adding fuel to the fire was a note about Coogler’s salary, which the article described as “unusually generous given its genre and rating” — a statement many readers interpreted as dismissive, given Coogler’s acclaimed track record with films like Black Panther and Fruitvale Station.

Actor Ben Stiller also joined the conversation, posting online that he was puzzled why a film with the level of acclaim Sinners has received would “warrant” any negative undertones in coverage of its success.

Despite the media scrutiny, Warner Bros. has remained publicly supportive. With a reported $150 million investment in production and marketing, the studio released a statement expressing satisfaction with the film’s early performance: “Sinners is on track to be both profitable and among this year’s most critically acclaimed movies.”

As the conversation continues to evolve online, Sinners finds itself not just at the center of box office charts, but also at the heart of ongoing discussions about race, media framing, and the long-standing disparities in Hollywood coverage.