Michael B. Jordan’s chilling dual performance in Ryan Coogler’s vampire thriller ‘Sinners’ dethrones ‘A Minecraft Movie’ with a $45.6M debut and becomes the first horror film in over 35 years to earn an A CinemaScore.
📍 Washington, DC | April 21, 2025
‘Sinners’, the 1930s-set vampire horror thriller directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan in dual roles, has taken a commanding bite out of the domestic box office, debuting at $45.6 million and replacing ‘A Minecraft Movie’ as the No. 1 film over the weekend.
The film has also made box office history by earning an A CinemaScore — the first horror film in more than 35 years to receive the coveted audience rating, according to CinemaScore, which surveys opening-night audiences nationwide.
🩸 A Stylish, Southern Gothic Tale
Set in 1932 Mississippi, Sinners follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played by Jordan), who return to their hometown to launch a blues nightclub inside an abandoned mill — using money stolen from dangerous gangsters. The club’s opening night takes a dark turn when it draws the attention of a mysterious vampire (played by Jack O’Connell) passing through the region.
The film also stars Hailee Steinfeld, Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, and Li Jun Li, blending Southern gothic atmosphere with supernatural horror and period drama.
🎬 Coogler & Jordan Reunite for a Genre-Bending Hit
‘Sinners’ marks the fifth collaboration between Coogler and Jordan, following acclaimed films like Fruitvale Station and Creed. In this latest project, Coogler praised Jordan for what he called “two of his finest performances”.
“He got incredible insights from real-life twins,” Coogler said, referencing twin filmmakers Noah and Logan Miller, who served as consultants on the film. “They helped us understand the kind of unspoken, unbreakable bond between identical twins.”
In fact, Coogler shared one particularly memorable anecdote from the Miller brothers:
“They told me there were times when they were broke and only had enough food for one. They would actually get into physical fights over who should eat the last piece — not for themselves, but trying to make the other one take it.”
🧛♂️ A Modern Classic in the Making?
Critics and fans alike are hailing Sinners as a fresh and emotionally resonant take on the vampire genre, seamlessly fusing horror, music, and Southern history. Its period setting, haunting blues soundtrack, and character-driven storytelling have drawn comparisons to films like Let the Right One In and Interview with the Vampire — but with a distinct cultural and cinematic flavor.
With both critical acclaim and strong audience reception, Sinners could be on track to become one of the most successful original horror films of the decade.