Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” Debuts With a Perfect Critics Score on Rotten Tomatoes

It is a “Sinners” world and we are all living it. The vampire thriller—directed, written, and produced by Ryan Coogler—has debuted to universal acclaim. Early critics ratings poised it at a record-breaking 100% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 45 reviews. This not only makes it the highest-rated vampire film in the site’s history but also the strongest wide-release debut of the decade.

Based on 132 reviews, the score has dipped slightly by 2%, currently standing at 98%, but this does not diminish the film’s brilliance. It has been widely praised as Coggler’s “first original blockbuster.”

Premiering internationally on Apr. 18, 2025, the film is projected to surpass Jordan Peele’s “NOPE” to be the biggest opening for an original film in the post-COVID-19 era. Opening weekend estimates project a staggering $40 to $50 million in box office earnings.

“Sinners” is described as one of the best films of the year and is already receiving Oscar nominations buzz. It stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role as twin brothers who return to their Western hometown for a fresh start, only to unlock a new evil lurking in the shadows.

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it features an ensemble cast including Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Li Jun Li, and Delroy Lindo.

The film was partially shot using IMAX 15-perf 70 mm film cameras, making it one of the very few “true IMAX” productions of 2025. It also utilized Ultra Panavision 70 mm for wider-format sequences, resulting in alternating 1.43:1 and 2.76:1 aspect ratios that showcase both towering vertical compositions and epic widescreen vistas. Approximately 25 minutes of its 131-minute runtime appear in the full IMAX 1.43:1 frame, offering audiences nearly 20% of the film in its purest, largest format.

The only other film on record shot using IMAX cameras at this level is Christopher Nolan’s Academy Award-winning biographical drama “Oppenheimer”.

Coogler is an Academy-award nominated filmmaker known for his work in the sports franchise “Creed,” the Marvel superhero film “Black Panther” and its sequel “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” and the biographical drama “Fruitvale Station.”

Jordan and Coogler are frequent collaborators, having previously worked together on “Fruitvale Station,” the “Creed” franchise, and now “Sinners.”