Last Updated on May 1, 2025 by Angel Melanson
I said something to this effect in this very column last week but to say that it was a good weekend at the box office would be putting it very mildly. For one (and we’ll talk a lot more about this in a moment), Ryan Coogler’s Sinners had itself a stellar second frame, posting one of the smallest second weekend drops for a wide release movie ever. It has become an out-and-out sensation. But it’s not the kind of sensation that swallows up absolutely everything in its path, as several other movies managed to do quite well for themselves. There was quite a bit of love to go around.
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Sinners made an estimated $45 million this past weekend, dropping just 6% compared to its opening. Mind you, estimates had the film pulling in $45.6 million in its debut before Monday came around to reveal that it had actually made $48 million. So, essentially, Coogler’s highly acclaimed vampire flick made it in its second weekend what would have been a stellar opening for a completely original, R-rated horror movie.
Yet, here we are, with word of mouth carrying this thing further than anyone thought possible. It stands as one of the best holds ever for a wide-release movie in its second weekend without caveat. Truly remarkable stuff. Thus far, Coogler’s latest, which hails from Warner Bros., has made $122.5 million domestically to go with $39.1 million overseas for a running global total of $161.6 million.
Yes, the movie has a $90 million price tag (before marketing) to contend with but Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan are proving very quickly that they are worth the money. Not to mention that reviews for Sinners have been absolutely stellar, making it a possible awards season contender as well. The sky is now the limit.
It was, as mentioned, a crowded weekend. For horror fans, Sony also released its video game adaptation Until Dawn from director David F. Sandberg (Shazam!, Lights Out). It was lost in the conversation a bit, pulling in an estimated $8 million in its debut domestically. The movie did fare reasonably well overseas though, pulling in $10.1 million for an $18.1 million start.
The good news is that the studio was very thrifty here, producing this one for just $15 million. If it doesn’t drop like a rock next weekend, it could still break even in theaters. Unfortunately, reviews have been pretty mixed thus far so we’ll have to see how things shake out.
Elsewhere, Star Wars fans turned out in droves to see Revenge of the Sith on the big screen once again for its 20th anniversary. George Lucas’ finale to the prequel trilogy pulled in more than $25 million, making for one of the biggest re-releases ever. Meanwhile, Ben Affleck’s action flick The Accountant 2 managed to not get buried, pulling in $24.4 million, essentially matching the opening of the 2016 original. Plus, A Minecraft Movie was still holding strong with $22.7 million in its fourth weekend to round out the top five.
What’s hugely encouraging is that four different movies made at least $20 million this past weekend. That was relatively rare even before the pandemic. Since? It pretty much never happens. This is what can happen when Hollywood serves up different sized movies aimed at different audiences. It’s better for viewers, it’s better for theaters and it’s better for the studios. Everyone wins. Granted, it’s not always going to work out this well but this is why it can’t all be big franchise blockbusters. Audiences are willing to show up for different fare when catered to correctly.
Looking ahead, Sinners will absolutely need to surrender the crown as Marvel’s Thunderbolts rolls into town to kick off the summer movie season this upcoming weekend. After that, the horror crowd gets another newcomer in the form of Clown in a Cornfield, the acclaimed new slasher from Eli Craig on May 9. Horror then comes up big once again when Final Destination: Bloodlines arrives on May 16, on IMAX no less!
You can see the full list of the top ten movies at the box office for the weekend of April 25, 2025, below. For more, get the details on Hulu’s upcoming Predator: Killer of Killers.
- Sinners – $45 million (second weekend)
- Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (20th anniversary re-release) – $25.2 million (first weekend)
- The Accountant 2 – $24.4 million (first weekend)
- A Minecraft Movie – $22.7 million (fourth weekend)
- Until Dawn – $8 million (first weekend)
- The King of Kings – $4 million (third weekend)
- The Amateur – $3.8 million (third weekend)
- Warfare – $2.6 million (third weekend)
- Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii – $2.6 million (first weekend)
- The Legend of Ochi – $1.4 million (second weekend)
