The fifth film collaboration between Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler crushed the box office this weekend upon its April 18 release, raking in a whopping $61,000,000 globally and $45,000,000 domestically. The 1930’s cinematic masterpiece — focused on two slick (but loving) twins, Smoke and Stack — is a beautiful whirlwind of passion, family differences, Black history and culture, and deep-southern folklore all wrapped up in the powerful, rich history of Delta Blues.
According to Box Office Mojo, Sinners raked in the impressive domestic numbers from 3,308 theaters across North America. Reportedly, it’s the biggest debut for an original film since Jordan Peele’s Us hit $71,000,000 in 2019. Audiences were clearly here for a new take on a supernatural horror flick, scoring it a grade “A” on the CinemaScore exit polls — a first for a horror film in over 35 years — and a rare 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Viewers have also been ranting and raving about the film, with many stuck on one scene in particular that tells the deep rooted journey of Black music through scenery. “The barn-burner sequence in #SinnersMovie / #Sinners is hypnotic and spellbinding. The overlapping music styles and dance choreography! The camerawork! The sound design mix! It’s a full body sensory experience. My soul levitated,” one person wrote. Another remarked, “The musical scene in Sinners is hands down one of the greatest scenes to ever be put into a film. Ryan Coogler you genius.”
“The fact that it has so many elements to it. It wasn’t just one thing, you know what I mean? People [are] calling it a horror, but it’s like, no, it’s so many different genres mixed up into one,” Jordan told VIBE ahead of the film’s national debut. “You find yourself laughing, you know what I’m saying? You find yourself crying, you’re jumping because you’re scared. And the music element to it is amazing, especially led by this guy right here,” he continued, tagging in his younger costar.”
The Creed phenom also reflected on working with incredible director Ryan Coogler for the fifth time now — 12 years after their first collaboration on the heart-wrenching true story of Oscar Grant in Fruitvale Station. “Ryan had these twin consultants,” Jordan continued. “I’m not even sure that’s a real thing, but he had some twins he grew up with who were always around, giving me advice and letting me pick their brains about their experiences growing up as twins.”
Coogler and Jordan have now worked together on the aforementioned films Fruitvale Station (2013) and Sinners, as well as Creed (2015), Marvel’s Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022).
The bloody-good film is now playing in IMAX theaters all over. Check out the official trailer below.
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