‘Sinners' finds redemption with top spot at weekend box office
Ryan Coogler's supernatural horror 'Sinners' drove a stake through the competition this weekend to finish No. 1 at the box office while shattering industry expectations.
'Sinners' pulled in $45.6 million domestically, surpassing estimates of about $35 million, and edging 'A Minecraft Movie,' which grossed $41.3 million in its third weekend, to put its domestic total at nearly $345 million.
Both 'Sinners' and 'A Minecraft Movie' are distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Warner Bros. Discovery is the parent company of CNN.
Shawn Robbins, director of movie analytics at Fandango and founder of Box Office Theory, told CNN that 'Sinners' was boosted by the duo of Coogler and actor Michael B. Jordan, who have teamed up on four films, including Disney's 'Black Panther.'
'That star power for 'Sinners' (and) really kind of a fresh, original take on the vampire movie (genre) … helped bring out moviegoers,' he said.
'Sinners' has also been boosted by critics' reviews, which can help a film's long-term box-office success. It has a 98% rating on movie-ratings site Rotten Tomatoes and an 84 score — the seventh highest for a film in 2025 — on Metacritic.
'This may be one of the best-reviewed No. 1 films ever, especially for the horror genre,' said Paul Dergarabedian, a senior analyst at Comscore.
The success of 'Sinners' is encouraging for the horror genre, which was most successful in 2017, when 'It' and 'Get Out' were released, according to Dergarabedian. Horror movies earned more than $1 billion at the box office in 2017, according to Comscore data. In 2024, the genre earned $948 million.
'Horror movies can be very budget-friendly and have a very strong profitability factor, so that makes them particularly of interest to studios and filmmakers,' Dergarabedian told CNN.
Universal Pictures is set to release two horror sequels this year, 'M3GAN 2.0' and 'Black Phone 2' in June and October, respectively.
Meanwhile, the industry's overall domestic earnings, which were down 13% at the opening of 'A Minecraft Movie,' are now up 5.3% compared to 2024, according to Comscore.
Box office analyst David A. Gross of FranchiseRe said 'A Minecraft Movie' is trekking toward $1 billion at the worldwide box office. After its strong opening, the fantasy adventure comedy has gone viral for engaging audiences with its chicken jockey scene.
'Audiences are totally engaged — this is mainstream action-adventure entertainment at its best,' Gross told CNN.
Dergarabedian expects the overall box office to maintain this momentum as the first slate of summer movies debuts in May, followed by a strong Memorial Day weekend with Disney's live-action 'Lilo & Stitch' and Paramount's 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Hollywood Sues AI Firm For Copying Characters With No License
Disney and Paramount's lawsuit, against AI image generator Midjourney, could reshape AI's IP future. On Tuesday, Disney and Universal filed a joint copyright infringement suit against Midjourney, one of the most widely used generative AI image platforms. The complaint, filed in California, alleges that Midjourney knowingly trained its AI models on copyrighted film stills and character images – without permission. Noting that the resulting outputs that users produce are very similar to copyrighted content. But what's at stake here isn't just retroactive damages or royalty reimbursements. According to Yelena Ambartsumian, an AI governance and IP lawyer and founder of Ambart Law PLLC, the real concern is forward-looking. 'I think Disney and Universal's major concern is not the licensing fees and royalties they have missed out on from Midjourney's training datasets,' Ambartsumian said in an interview, 'but rather Midjourney's soon-to-be-released commercial AI video service.' In other words, this isn't just about Mickey Mouse showing up on a knock-off poster. It's about synthetic video fakes. Midjourney's AI models currently generate static images, but the company has been promising a text-to-video upgrade that could generate full-motion scenes. This legal action confirms that the movie studios aren't waiting to see if those synthetic reels might mirror their IP. As Ambartsumian notes, 'Their complaint for copyright infringement seeks an injunction, not only of Midjourney's image-generation service but also of the forthcoming video-generation service.' The studios' complaint even includes side-by-side comparisons of model outputs and iconic animated film stills – some of which are virtually indistinguishable to the untrained eye. This collection of AI generated images was included on page six of publicly disclosed legal filing. Until now, generative AI companies have often leaned on the idea of 'transformative use' under fair use doctrine. That is, if an output changes the source material with some type of novel addition, it might not violate the copyright on the original. But this suit could punch a gaping hole in that argument. 'This lawsuit fundamentally breaks the 'transformative' defense,' said Dr. Manny Ahmed, founder and CEO of OpenOrigins, a firm focused on content authenticity. 'Most lawsuits have focused on copyright infringement from content scraping and AI model training, whereas this lawsuit targets the reduction of copyrighted material by a model.' That's a critical distinction. Rather than arguing about whether the model scraped copyrighted images, Disney and Paramount are highlighting what it can now produce. Based on the details listed in the filing, the movie creatives are more interested in what the AI models can produce once trained, and less interested in the copyrighted materials used for that training. This is a significant shift that could be a watermark moment – both figuratively and literally – regarding how the courts handle infringement cases going forward. One of the murkiest aspects of IP law regarding AI involves 'style.' Examples of the concept are the unique stylistic renderings of characters on The Simpsons or the distinct look and style of movies from Studio Ghibli. The question is can an AI model mimic the artistic style of a movie without using exact characters? If so, is the generated content protected? Dr. Ahmed points out that this case might broaden the legal conversation. 'What remains to be seen is whether the argument being made by Disney and NBCU will also apply to 'styles' and not just distinctly identifiable characters/IP assets,' he said. 'If it does, this would impose even broader restrictions on the outputs of these models.' If that happens, generative AI firms may have to navigate a minefield of visual boundaries—not just around iconic characters like Elsa or Shrek, but around entire cinematic aesthetics. Some in the AI space have expressed frustration that Midjourney didn't implement better safeguards to avoid this outcome. 'Midjourney may have a point—that it's difficult to know the provenance of the millions of images its diffusion models are trained on,' Ambartsumian told me. 'But that's not an excuse for failing to implement safeguards post-training, after learning that the models can create outputs that likely infringe on copyrighted works. Why Midjourney did not implement those safeguards, before deployment, is baffling to me.' Ahmed agrees that technical and policy steps are available – and increasingly necessary. 'There are two paths Midjourney could pursue,' he said. 'One, Midjourney should consider collaborative relationships when it comes to training. Licensing content is a minimum standard. Two, when it comes to the outputs, Midjourney should agree up front with its licensors what kinds of outputs are allowed.' That kind of upfront agreement could enable controlled replication in some cases – like promotional content or fan art – but only with explicit consent from the rights holder. Even if Midjourney settles or wins this case, the broader AI industry will need to reckon with its implications. According to Ahmed, the suit underscores a growing appetite for clear boundaries – and legal consequences – when it comes to the reproduction of high-value IP. 'Having clarity around what uses are restricted would also give rights holders greater confidence in licensing their content for training,' he said. That clarity may be coming through court orders rather than negotiation tables – for now. But either way, the message is clear: AI companies that overlook copyright concerns may find themselves cast in a very expensive sequel.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Diddy trial updates: Jury in Sean Combs' case faces shake-up as more witnesses speak out
Diddy trial updates: Jury in Sean Combs' case faces shake-up as more witnesses speak out Show Caption Hide Caption Witness Jane testimony wraps in Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex crimes trial The final day of testimony from Witness Jane, an ex-girlfriend of Sean "Diddy" Combs is complete. This story contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing. A possible shake-up in the jury pool in Sean "Diddy" Combs' criminal trial looms as witnesses continue to come forward with allegations of abuse. Attorneys for the embattled hip-hop mogul and prosecutors returned to Manhattan court on June 13 to hash out the trial eligibility of one of the jurors, anonymously identified as Juror No. 6, with Judge Arun Subramanian. The issue was first brought to the judge's attention while court was in session on June 10. According to reports from CNN and NBC News, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey told Subramanian the individual appeared to have "a lack of candor with the court." In response, Combs' attorney Alexandra Shapiro reportedly accused the prosecution of trying to get a Black juror dismissed, mirroring a similar claim raised by the defense during jury selection. As the prosecution continues to build its case against Combs, jurors are expected to hear from one of Combs' assistants as well as a federal agent. This comes after the Grammy-winning rapper's ex-girlfriend, testifying under the pseudonym "Jane," gave harrowing accounts on the stand about her allegedly abusive relationship with Combs. Combs, 55, was arrested in September and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty. Diddy on trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom as music mogul faces sex-crimes charges. Combs is facing federal sex-crimes and trafficking charges in a sprawling case that has eroded his status as a power player and kingmaker in the entertainment industry. He was arrested in September 2024 and later charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The rapper has pleaded not guilty to the five counts against him. Discover WITNESS: Access our exclusive collection of true crime stories, podcasts, videos and more Racketeering is the participation in an illegal scheme under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Statute, or RICO, as a way for the U.S. government to prosecute organizations that contribute to criminal activity. Using RICO law, which is typically aimed at targeting multi-person criminal organizations, prosecutors allege that Combs coerced victims, some of whom they say were sex workers, through intimidation and narcotics to participate in "freak offs" — sometimes dayslong sex performances that federal prosecutors allege they have video of. The trial will not be televised, as cameras are typically not allowed in federal criminal trial proceedings. USA TODAY will be reporting live from the courtroom. Sign up for our newsletter for more updates. Contributing: USA TODAY staff If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (4673) and and en Español If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Italian teenager Carlo Acutis to become first millennial saint on September 7
The canonization of Carlo Acutis, the Catholic Church's first millennial saint, will take place on September 7, Pope Leo XIV has announced. Acutis, an Italian teenager who died from leukemia in 2006, will be declared a saint by Leo at a ceremony in St. Peter's Square expected to be attended by thousands of young people. Acutis was just 15 when he died, but during his short life he used his computing skills to spread awareness of the Catholic faith by setting up a website that documented reports of miracles. The Vatican said on Friday that following a meeting with cardinals Pope Leo will canonize Acutis in September, along with another youthful saint, Pier Giorgio Frassatti, who died in 1925 at age 24. Acutis' canonization had been scheduled for April 27 but was postponed after the death of Pope Francis. The September 7 ceremony will be the first canonization presided over by Pope Leo, the first American pontiff. Acutis, nicknamed God's influencer, has developed a strong following among young Catholics and beyond. The British-born Italian teenager, who loved video-gaming, is often depicted wearing jeans and trainers, making him a relatable figure to a new generation of Catholics. His canonization also comes as recent surveys in the United Kingdom and United States show a rise in interest in Catholicism among Generation Z. The church's sainthood process normally requires that candidates have two miracles attributed to them, with each reported supernatural occurrence requiring in-depth examination. In May, a second miracle attributed to Acutis was recognized by Pope Francis, a decision that paved the way for the teen to be declared a saint. Acutis was beatified (declared 'blessed') in 2020 after his first miracle, when he reportedly healed a Brazilian boy with a birth defect that left him unable to eat normally. The boy was reportedly healed after his mother said she prayed to Acutis to intercede and help heal her son. The second miracle attributed to Acutis relates to the reported healing of a girl from Costa Rica who had suffered a head trauma after falling from her bicycle in Florence, Italy, where she was studying. Her mother said she prayed for her daughter's recovery at the tomb of Acutis in Assisi. Acutis' mother, Antonia Salzano, previously told CNN that her son spent time helping the homeless in Milan and giving his pocket money to those sleeping on the street.
