Sinners has achieved numerous milestones, one of which being the #1 box office spot from A Minecraft Movie, and one of the best opening weekends for an original horror film. The film has also garnered an “A” on CinemaScore—a rarity for the horror genre. While most original films struggle at the box office, Sinners has managed to defy the odds. However, the real story behind Sinners’ success lies not in its box office numbers, but in the deal writer/director Ryan Coogler struck with warner bros. A report by Vulture highlighted the terms of this deal, which saw Coogler gaining control over the final cut of Sinners, a percentage of the film’s opening weekend profit, and ownership of the film after 25 years. This has led one executive to declare, “It could be the end of the studio system.” But is this fear justified? Other filmmakers have made similar deals over the years, including George Lucas with Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope, and Richard Linklater with Boyhood. Lucas retained ownership of the merchandising and licensing fees, while Linklater gave up his upfront fee in exchange for marketing and revenue streams. The deal that’s similar to Sinners is the one Quentin Tarantino made for Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood. Tarantino had a deal for years to retain the copyright control of his films, which was a practice that stretched back to his days at Miramax. But what’s striking about Sinners is the optics surrounding the deal. The film is a Black-led genre film directed by a Black filmmaker, which has raised concerns among Hollywood executives. Tarantino, who has a similar deal with Warner Bros., was not seen as a threat to the studio system. George Lucas, who built a merchandising empire off of Star Wars, was not considered a threat either. The reaction of Hollywood executives to Coogler’s deal has highlighted the fact that some studio heads are not comfortable with the idea of a marginalized filmmaker having the same level of clout as their white contemporaries. This is evident in the fact that Coogler’s trajectory and filmography mirrors that of Christopher Nolan. Both started off small, delivered successful genre-defining hits, and used their clout to create an original film. The framing of Sinners’ opening weekend has also been problematic. When Variety reported that the film had yet to hit profitability, Ben Stiller tweeted, “In what universe does a $60 million opening for an original studio movie warrant this headline?” Franklin Leonard pointed out that Coogler’s international box office totals matched those of Tarantino. Luke Cage showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker added, “This movie has legs…which is scaring the s*** out of the powers that be.”
When some of the biggest voices in Hollywood are pointing out how a movie’s coverage is slanted, it’s enough to make you stop and think. Ryan Coogler has said that the deal he struck for Sinners is a one-off, but it’s a testament to his worth as a filmmaker. Coogler has delivered five critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, and is starting to produce a variety of projects under his Proximity Media banner. In the case of Sinners, Coogler was able to get his deal thanks to Warner Bros. chairmen Pam Abdy and Michael DeLuca, who met his demands. Perhaps what some executives are scared of isn’t the idea of a movie destroying the studio system, but its success empowering other filmmakers to seek a similar deal. Sinners is currently playing in theaters, and its success has sparked a conversation about the power of filmmakers to shape their own destinies.
| Reasons why Sinners’ success is being framed as a threat to the studio system |
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| Optics of Hollywood executives’ reactions |
| • The film is a Black-led genre film directed by a Black filmmaker, which has raised concerns among Hollywood executives. |
| Comparisons to other filmmakers |
| • Coogler’s trajectory and filmography mirrors that of Christopher Nolan, which highlights the hypocrisy of studio heads’ reactions. |
| Frame of the opening weekend |
| • The framing of Sinners’ opening weekend has been problematic, with some executives questioning the film’s profitability. |
| • Big voices in Hollywood are pointing out how a movie’s coverage is slanted, sparking a conversation about the power of filmmakers to shape their own destinies. |
“This movie has legs…which is scaring the s*** out of the powers that be.” – Cheo Hodari Coker
“It could be the end of the studio system.” – Executive
But the truth is, film history underlines a few reasons why Sinners’ success has caused the upper echelons of Hollywood to shudder in fright. The deal that Coogler struck with Warner Bros. is not a new phenomenon. Other filmmakers have made similar deals over the years, including George Lucas and Richard Linklater. Furthermore, Ryan Coogler has proven his worth as a filmmaker through his critically acclaimed and commercially successful films. He has delivered five films that have met with critical acclaim, and is starting to produce a variety of projects under his Proximity Media banner. And for the executives who hold all the power, that’s like a stake to the heart. It’s a conversation that will continue to unfold as more and more filmmakers seek their worth.
