How Did ‘Sinners’ Really Do This Weekend?

The Town with Matthew Belloni

The Ringer

Society & Culture

4.3 • 847 Ratings

🗓️ 21 April 2025

⏱️ 33 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw and Franklin Leonard, a film executive and founder of the Black List, to discuss the weekend box office performance of ‘Sinners’, the road it has to become profitable, and the revolving conversation around the special deal that director Ryan Coogler negotiated with Warner Bros. to make it. They also debate why the international numbers for ‘Sinners’ weren’t as strong, if race has anything to do with the type of media coverage the film has received, and if the type of deal that Coogler made is the end of the studio system or just hyperbole (04:04). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guests: Lucas Shaw and Franklin Leonard Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	If you care about Hollywood, and I assume you do if you're listening to the town, you should really be getting the whole story about Hollywood.
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0:32.1	Hollywood by becoming a puck member today. It is Monday, April 21st.
0:38.9	The numbers for sinners are in.
0:41.0	That is the new horror slash autour drama slash quasi-musical from Ryan Cougler.
0:46.5	It grows $48 million at the domestic box office this weekend.
0:50.1	About in line with the final pre-release tracking.
0:52.4	I barely hit the over at $ 47 million from Thursday's show.
0:56.1	Overall, an excellent showing for an already original title, right?
1:00.2	Well, yes, but it's a bit more complicated for Warner Brothers.
1:03.8	The film carries a production budget of $90 million, according to Warner's.
1:07.2	But my sources up the studio pegged it higher than that, around 105, ultimately.
1:11.8	And the film isn't doing much business outside the U.S.
1:14.9	It grossed only 15 million in more than 70 countries this weekend.
1:18.7	With exceptions, the general assumption at the studios is that movies need to gross two
1:22.4	and a half times their production budgets to break even in theaters, once the revenue
	...

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