Sinners Could Be the Box Office Hit WB Needs Before Superman Opens

Early box office projections for director Ryan Coogler’s Sinners are in, and it looks like the film could be a much-needed rebound for Warner Bros. According to tracking data supplied by Deadline, Sinners is estimated to bring in over $40 million domestically during its opening weekend in mid-April. The outlet notes that “some tracking services have Sinners in the low [$30-millions],” but points out that WB is about to begin a major marketing push for the film, which has already proven to be appealing to target demographics. Earning more than $40 million in the U.S. would be a strong start for Sinners, considering its $90 million production budget.

Sinners won’t clear either of Coogler’s two Black Panther films in its opening, but it would be the largest debut among the director’s non-Marvel outings. Creed, which opened in November 2015, grossed $29.6 million domestically over its first traditional 3-day weekend. It is important to point out that Creed‘s numbers are a little skewed since it came out over Thanksgiving weekend that yet. It earned $42.1 million over the extended 5-day holiday frame. Sinners is looking to make a splash over Easter weekend.

Starring Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers Smoke and Stack, Sinners is a period horror film that sees a group of vampires wreak havoc in the siblings’ hometown. The ensemble also includes Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, and Delroy Lindo (among others). Warner Bros. has promoted the film by releasing a pair of trailers showcasing the movie’s eerie vibe and strong production values. Coogler made Sinners with IMAX in mind, even consulting Christopher Nolan before using the premium format.

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Sinners is arriving at a crucial time for Warner Bros. The studio has encountered hard times at the box office lately, most recently with Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17 bombing. Budgeted at $118 million, the sci-fi satire only earned $19 million domestically in its opening weekend earlier this month and is projected to lose a lot of money. The dire straits WB finds itself in has added a significant amount of pressure on James Gunn’s Superman; some believe WB could be sold off if the DC reboot underperforms.

Superman still needs to be a hit to pave the way for the DC Universe’s future, but it would still be a big help if Sinners proved profitable. If WB can rack up some non-DC hits to insulate Superman, then there might not be a need for Superman to break records in order to save the studio. Part of WB’s problem is that a number of its riskier, expensive propositions haven’t panned out, and there’s only so many losses it can take before the situation becomes untenable. WB has some other notable titles coming out this year, including video game adaptation A Minecraft Movie and Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another that could also prove to be a draw depending on how word of mouth pans out. WB has a lot invested in the DCU, but it needs some of these other films to land with audiences as well.

It’s encouraging that Sinners is projected to open with a healthy number — not just from WB’s perspective but also for Coogler. He’s made a name for himself working with franchise fare like Creed and Black Panther, and it’s great to see an original film of his could be a hit. While Coogler plans to return to Marvel for Black Panther 3, he surely has other stories he’d like to tell, and Sinners could give him the clout to get some of those projects off the ground. There are very few directors whose names alone are enough to get people to the theater, and it sounds like Coogler might be one of them.