Sinners quickly became one of the most anticipated movies of 2025 when it was announced in 2024. Filming began in January 2024, and things moved at rapid speed. While initially intended for a March 7, 2025 release, this was pushed back, reportedly due to a lengthy post-production phase.
Sinners went into production with the working title “Grilled Cheese”. Not much was known about the plot other than rumors of a vampire tale in 1930s deep south America. However, when the trailer landed, the presence of vampires was confirmed and the hype built and built from there. Now set for an April 18 release date, Ryan Coogler‘s genre fluid movie has been met with a wealth of critical praise, opening to a perfect 100% critical approval on Rotten Tomatoes. So, let’s break down what the critics are saying early on.
This Renowned Filmmaker Was Granted an Early Viewing of Sinners
Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Lee is not just one of the most iconic storytellers in Hollywood, he is also a huge cinephile. Across his career, he has been known to be rather outspoken about other people’s movies, notoriously bashing Quentin Tarantino‘s work, causing a rift between the two. However, he is also known to throw praise at a film too. So, if he says he likes a movie, he means it.
In Hollywood, it’s fairly common for a movie to be passed around to other industry professionals via screeners before the project is released to the public. This can be a great marketing strategy, helping word of mouth. Ahead of the April 3 premiere, Ryan Coogler invited Spike Lee to an intimate IMAX screening of Sinners in March. Lee quickly took to social media to give his verdict, and it was beyond positive. Posting to his official Instagram page, Lee wrote: “I Just Had The Greatest Experience Of Watching A Film In Years.” He then went on to praise near enough every aspect of the film – “Da Performances, Cinematography,Production Design,Costume Design,Original Score,Songs,Visual Effects Are DOPE And What Else Ya Want?”
How Sinners Landed a Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Opening
Following the film’s premiere, gleaming reviews from critics came flying in thick and fast. In today’s internet focused culture, many moviegoers head over to Rotten Tomatoes to see what the critics are saying before shelling out their hard-earned money on a movie ticket. As of writing, Sinners is in good standing in that regard, as it has a perfect Tomatometer of 100%, based on 45 reviews from renowned critics. The critical consensus reads: “A rip-roaring fusion of masterful visual storytelling and toe-tapping music, writer-director Ryan Coogler’s first original blockbuster reveals the full scope of his singular imagination.”
Early on, Coogler described his film as “genre fluid”. Set in the Jim Crow South era, as well as being a horror movie filled with action, it also delves into themes of racism and cultural appropriation. Screen Daily stated that Sinners‘ “Vampirism proves to be a handy metaphor for Coogler, who lets it be a stand-in not just for racism but also cultural appropriation.” This blend of genres is being praised across the board with critics calling the movie a “soulful, bloody tale that masterfully marries blues, vampires, and the vibrant spirit of New Orleans.”, and a movie that “unleashes a visual intensity as it maneuvers through its layered themes while embracing its magnetic music, sex appeal, and ultra violent madness.”
Will the Movie Be a Box Office Success?
With a budget of $90 million, Sinners has managed to cultivate quite the impressive marketing strategy. Before the first trailer landed, a sneak peak teaser dropped the day before. Then, a second trailer came our way and has so far amassed close to 20 million views. So, it’s clear that herds of moviegoers are interested in this flick. With its perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, and powerful blessing from Spike Lee, it’s looking like word of mouth has set Sinners up for a grand opening come April 18.
Led by Michael B. Jordan in dual roles, this in itself is a recipe for big box office sales. Couple that with Coogler’s track history of performing well at the box office (2018’s Black Panther grossed $1.382 billion worldwide), and it’s easy to see why Box Office Theory have projected the movie to gross $30-$40 million in its opening weekend. Although the second trailer seemed to give a lot of the movie away, there’s reason to believe that there is much more to the movie than people may think. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sinners‘ lead villain Jack O’Connell was prodded about the film’s musical numbers, but wouldn’t go into too much detail to avoid spoilers. So, it could well be that there is much more to Sinners than meets the eye.
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