Saturday Box Office Update
This last weekend of April usually sees a slump before Marvel Cinematic Universe movies dominate the summer, but that’s not the case this year. Excluding 2018 and 2019, which saw the debut of the Avengers films, Warner Bros’ remarkable second weekend for Sinners bringing in $42M ($13M on its second Friday) indicates strong market potential. The overall box office is expected to exceed $139M this weekend, marking a 117% increase from the same period last year and a slight rise from the $136.9M during Easter. The global total for the $90M vampire flick is currently at $127.5M.
Sinners’ Performance
At this moment, Sinners holds the record for the second-best second weekend for an R-rated horror film, just behind It’s $60.1M three-day weekend in September 2017. It is also the third best for director Ryan Coogler, following Black Panther ($111.6M) and Wakanda Forever ($66.4M). Notably, it has the second-best hold for R-rated horror, only dropping 13% compared to Heart Eyes (+19%) and Get Out (-15%).
Demographics and Audience Trends
The audience for Sinners is diversifying, shifting from 43% female in the first weekend to 56% this past weekend, with attendance from under-25s increasing from 20% to 34%. Diversity breakdown shows 43% Black, 25% Caucasian, 17% Latino/Hispanic (up from 14% last week), and 11% Asian American (increased from 6%). The positivity score from Screen Engine/PostTrak rose to 96%, with 81% still recommending the film strongly. It has also performed well across the country, particularly in the South.
The Accountant 2’s Opening
Amazon MGM Studios’ The Accountant 2 brought in $9.4M on Friday, projecting an opening just over $25M, slightly surpassing the original film’s debut. Initial predictions suggested Sinners would overshadow Accountant 2, but audiences demonstrated markedly different demographics: Sinners saw 59% of its audience aged 18-34, while Accountant 2 skewed older with 30% in the same age range and 69% over 35. Both films received solid A- and A CinemaScores, respectively.
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Returns
This weekend marks the 20th anniversary of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, which is projected to earn between $21M and $23M on its re-release. Promos for this reissue have boosted its visibility significantly, making it the best such opening for a Star Wars film under Disney and Lucasfilm. Its early audience comprised 74% of viewers aged 18-34, largely from the Midwest, Mountain, and Western regions.
Until Dawn’s Reception
Screen Gems’ R-rated film Until Dawn earned a C+ CinemaScore, totaling approximately $3.2M on Friday for a weekend estimate between $7M and $8M. Although it was designed for counter-programming, it seems to be facing tough competition from Sinners. Its PostTrak ratings show a low 63% positivity and a mere 42% recommend rate, indicating challenges even with potentially more favorable timing.
This Weekend’s Box Office Rankings
1.) Sinners (WB) – $42M (Total: $119.5M)
2.) The Accountant 2 (AMZ) – $25M
3.) Revenge of the Sith (Dis) – $21M-$23M
4.) A Minecraft Movie (WB/Leg) – $20M
5.) Until Dawn (Sony) – $7M-$8M
