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Box Office Update: Warner Bros.’ “Sinners” Thrives in Theaters
Warner Bros.’ latest release, “Sinners,” has demonstrated impressive box office resilience, raking in $45 million over the weekend—a slight decline of just 6.2% from its $48 million debut. The film has swiftly crossed the $100 million mark in domestic earnings within its first nine days in theaters, positioning itself to potentially join the ranks of only three other horror films that have achieved $200 million in box office receipts when adjusted for inflation.
The film’s success can be attributed to its strong critical reception and audience enthusiasm, which has attracted viewers who may not have been initially aware of Ryan Coogler’s unique horror narrative. Notably, “Sinners” has recorded the smallest second-weekend drop for any film that opened to over $40 million since the groundbreaking success of “Avatar” in 2009.
This widespread acclaim has led to sold-out screenings in IMAX locations across major cities, as well as at theaters such as the historic Vista in Los Angeles, which is showing the film in 70mm. Despite potentially losing some IMAX screens following the release of Marvel Studios’ “Thunderbolts,” “Sinners” is expected to maintain enough box office momentum to become the highest-grossing original live-action film since Alfonso Cuaron’s “Gravity” in 2013.
The venture has proven to be a significant win for Warner Bros., which embraced a calculated risk with the film’s $90 million budget. This gamble has paid off immensely for both the studio and theaters, with the box office receiving further boosts from Warner’s other blockbuster, “A Minecraft Movie.” Remarkably, every weekend in April has eclipsed $100 million in total box office sales, a stark contrast to the limited weekends that achieved similar figures prior to this month.
This weekend’s performance has also been enhanced by competition from Amazon MGM’s “The Accountant 2” and the re-release of Disney/Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith,” both vying for significant box office shares.
“Revenge of the Sith” seems to be leading the pack with an estimated $25.2 million this weekend, nearly three times the $8.7 million earned during last year’s re-release of “Episode I — The Phantom Menace.” This impressive total has propelled “Episode III” beyond $400 million in domestic earnings and is approaching the $900 million mark globally.
Meanwhile, “The Accountant 2” is projected to open with approximately $24.5 million, closely mirroring the first film’s launch of $24.7 million back in 2016. After being acquired by Amazon MGM last year, the sequel comes with a reported budget of $80 million and has garnered positive feedback, scoring an A- on CinemaScore and an 87% satisfaction rating on PostTrak.
A spokesperson from Amazon MGM previously indicated an expectation for their theatrical releases to recoup production and marketing costs at the box office, aiming to drive interest for subsequent availability on Prime Video. The first “Accountant” concluded 2017 as the top-selling digital rental title, a success that encouraged Amazon to pursue a sequel in partnership with Artists Equity, co-founded by the film’s star, Ben Affleck.
“A Minecraft Movie” rounds out the top four with a solid $22.7 million this weekend, bringing its domestic total to $380 million and a worldwide gross of $816 million.
More updates to follow…
Source
www.thewrap.com