After making an incredible showing at the box office since its release, Sinners is about to close the curtain on IMAX sales to make room for an upcoming blockbuster. Whether new to the movie or revisiting it for the sake of rewatching Sinners’ best scene in a larger format, plenty of viewers have been swarming IMAX theaters to see the latest collaboration between director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan. Given the overwhelming quanтιтy of Sinners’ positive reviews, some might understandably expect the movie to stay in IMAX for some time.
Had Sinners been released during a less popular time of year for big-name releases, that might have been the case. But because IMAX screens are much more limited than other formats, theaters aren’t able to save screens for Sinners while still keeping them available for newer features. That’s exactly why some IMAX viewers will find that, after the next time they watch through to Sinners’ ending, they’re going to find future IMAX tickets for the movie becoming quickly unavailable. However, that doesn’t mean it might not come back later in the year.
Thursday, May 1, Is The Last Day Sinners Will Be Available In IMAX
It’s Giving Up Its Spot To Marvel’s Latest Outing
Between Sinners and Nosferatu, there’s a strong chance to see a resurgence of vampire movies in Hollywood over the next few years. For now, however, Sinners will mark the last chance for moviegoers to see some good old-fashioned vampire lore on the silver screen for some time to come. Unfortunately, Sinners will have to give up its IMAX screens in all theaters upon Disney and Marvel’s release of Thunderbolts*. The movie, which follows a misfit team of Marvel’s less superpowered supporting heroes and former villains, will replace Sinners on IMAX screens nationwide.
Fortunately, there is a silver lining to this news. While it’s not uncommon to find advance Thursday screenings of major movies ahead of wider Friday releases, Thunderbolts* won’t begin its formal IMAX run until Friday, May 2, 2025. This means that those wishing to see Sinners in IMAX at the last minute will still be able to find screenings on May 1. Although most Sinners deaths occur offscreen, it’s well worth the experience to see its epic climax in a larger format before seats sell out ahead of the movie’s IMAX departure.
IMAX Showings Have Significantly Boosted Sinners’ Box Office
A Large Percentage Of Its Earnings Come From IMAX Alone
It might be leaving IMAX screens, but Sinners certainly made enough of a mark to go out with a bang. According to Screen Daily, Coogler’s acclaimed vampire flick netted $12.3 million from IMAX in its second weekend alone. This puts Sinners’ IMAX sales at a total of $30.6 million across its two weekends on the format, which accounts for a total of 19% of the movie’s box office takings overall. Although it may not benefit from IMAX sales anymore, these figures bode well for the movie’s box office gross by the end of its theatrical run.
To really underscore just how impressive these IMAX numbers are, it’s worth comparing Sinners to its current top compeтιтor. With a global box office of approximately $163.2 million, Sinners hasn’t made nearly as much as A Minecraft Movie, which currently sits pretty at $816 million. And while Sinners won’t likely catch up, A Minecraft Movie has actually fallen closely behind Sinners on IMAX sales at just $30.2 million. And, regardless of whether Sinners’ alternate ending earns it a later re-release, there are other ways it could continue accruing IMAX revenue this year.
Will Sinners Ever Play In IMAX Again?
It’s A Good Target For An Oscars Re-Release
Although there’s always a chance that Sinners could release again with its alternate ending or other cut footage restored, it usually takes a lot of buzz and usually a bit of extra time to polish for something like that to happen. However, there’s another opportunity for a re-release if Sinners gets nominated for an Academy Award. There’s been a lot of discussion about Sinners’ Oscar chances since it released to critical acclaim, and it might be one of the first real contenders of the year.
Not only is it his first truly original movie, but it is also one of Ryan Coogler’s best films to date. Seeing it make an IMAX resurgence, particularly as part of an Oscars re-release, would be a major win for not only Sinners itself but also for the fans who helped elevate its audience scores and box office to the levels they’ve reached. Only time will tell if that re-release comes to pᴀss. Either way, the movie has already made enough of an impression that it should be remembered fondly for years to come.
Source: Screen Daily