‘Sinners’ overtakes ‘Minecraft’ to top the box office

Brand names may dominate the box office today, but Ryan Coogler’s Sinners proved to be a major exception. The film, led by Michael B. Jordan, opened to $45.6 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters, defying trends and impressing with its strong debut.

Sinners, a Warner Bros. release with a $90 million production cost, is a bold, original movie set in 1932. It follows two bootlegging brothers (both played by Jordan) who open a juke joint in their Mississippi hometown. Directed and produced by Coogler, known for his work on Creed and Black Panther, the film blends genre elements while staying true to its original narrative.

In second place was A Minecraft Movie, which earned $41.3 million in its third week of release. The movie has been a huge success for Warner Bros., amassing $720.8 million worldwide. This gives Warner Bros. a solid box office performance, with two strong hits: one original and one based on a popular IP.

Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca, co-chairs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, praised the success of the two films, noting that the studio accounted for a remarkable 64% of the domestic box office for the Easter weekend. They reaffirmed the studio’s commitment to delivering bold in-theater experiences to audiences, whether original or based on beloved properties.

The performance of Sinners was particularly significant, as Warner Bros. went to great lengths to ensure its success. Coogler, in addition to earning a cut of the gross ticket sales, also secured ownership of the film after 25 years — a rare concession in the industry.

Coogler and Jordan, who have worked together since Fruitvale Station, make a powerful director-actor duo. Early reviews for Sinners were stellar, with the film receiving a 98% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an “A” CinemaScore from audiences.

While Sinners performed well domestically, earning $45.6 million, its international numbers were more modest, totaling $15.4 million from 71 international markets. The film attracted a diverse audience in the U.S., with 38% Black, 35% White, 18% Hispanic, and 5% Asian viewers.

Before Sinners, Warner Bros. had struggled with dual-role films, seeing failures with The Alto Knights (starring a double-role Robert De Niro) and Mickey 17 (with two Robert Pattinsons). However, the success of Sinners solidifies Coogler’s place as one of the few filmmakers whose name draws big audiences.

Meanwhile, The King of Kings, an animated film aimed at Christian audiences, performed well over the Easter weekend, grossing $17.2 million in its second week. The film’s total domestic earnings now stand at $45.3 million.

Bleecker Street’s The Wedding Banquet, a reimagining of Ang Lee’s 1993 queer comedy, opened with $922,906 in ticket sales on 1,142 screens. The film, a hit at Sundance, stars Lily Gladstone, Bowen Yang, Kelly Marie Tran, and newcomer Han Gi-chan.

Here’s a look at the top 10 domestic box office films: