*Ben Stiller isn’t holding back when it comes to defending “Sinners” from what he sees as misleading headlines.
The actor-director took issue with a viral Variety tweet that framed the horror film’s impressive $61 million global opening as falling short due to its $90 million budget. The magazine post read: “Sinners has amassed $61 million in its global debut. It’s a great result for an original, R-rated horror film, yet the Warner Bros. release has a $90 million price tag before global marketing expenses, so profitability remains a ways away…..” In his reply, Stiller questioned the logic: “In what universe does a 60 million dollar opening for an original studio movie warrant this headline?”
The criticism quickly gained momentum, with other industry voices including Patrick Schwarzenegger, Franklin Leonard, Joe Russo, and Kristen Schaal chiming in. Schwarzenegger kept it short: “It’s opening weekend…”—a reminder that box office performance is a marathon, not a sprint. Joe Russo took a more sarcastic angle, mocking Variety’s tone with a tweet of his own: “Variety: ‘WHY DIDN’T THE MOVIE MAKE ALL ITS BUDGET BACK IN THREE DAYS.’”
Despite Variety’s framing, the numbers tell a different story. “Sinners” brought in $45.6 million domestically and topped out at $63.5 million globally over its Easter weekend debut. The film outpaced expectations and even beat another Warner Bros. release, “A Minecraft Movie,” making it the highest-grossing opening for an original film since the pandemic, surpassing even Jordan Peele’s “Nope.”
According to Deadline, a big Sunday boost of $12.3 million helped propel “Sinners” past the $48 million mark domestically. CNN called the opening a box office “shattering” moment, citing its originality and star power. Shawn Robbins of Box Office Theory noted, “That star power for ‘Sinners’ (and) really kind of a fresh, original take on the vampire movie (genre) … helped bring out moviegoers.”
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As we reported earlier, the film sparked a bidding war, ultimately landing at Warner Bros., which agreed to Coogler’s rare terms: first-dollar gross, final cut, and ownership rights reverting to him after 25 years. The move stunned Hollywood insiders. One executive told Vulture the deal “could be the end of the studio system,” describing it as a “very dangerous” precedent.
Despite comparisons to Quentin Tarantino’s similar arrangement for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Coogler made it clear this is a one-time situation. “No, it was this specific project,” he told Business Insider, ruling out similar deals for future films.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Ryan Coogler Reveals Personal Reason Behind ‘Sinners’ Ownership Deal
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