When 2025 is over, Sinners will go down as one of its defining films. Ryan Coogler’s unique horror film overcame much Hollywood handwringing over its budget to smash expectations at the domestic box office, igniting hope for original studio movies and becoming a centerpiece in a banner year for Warner Bros. It built up so much momentum after its April release that it’s widely assumed it’ll ride that wave all the way to a Best Picture nomination.
But the movie world’s memory is short. The Oscars frontrunner conversation turned to Hamnet during its stellar fall-festival run, only for One Battle After Another to come crashing in with (according to Metacritic) the best reviews of the year so far. On top of that, Marty Supreme popped its head up well ahead of its December release date, and buzz has been growing since its premiere as NYFF’s surprise screening.
Competing for awards is all about staying in the conversation. It’s not enough to be loved or acclaimed – that love and acclaim needs to be front-of-mind for voters when they sit down with their ballots. And the challenge for movies that release as early as Sinners did is exactly what’s happening. Other, fresher films are sucking up all the oxygen.
But WB could fix this in one fell swoop.
Sinners Should Be Put Back In Theaters For Halloween
This year, studios finally did what horror fans have wanted for years: remember that months other than October exist. From exciting originals such as Sinners and Weapons to major franchise entries like Final Destination Bloodlines and The Conjuring: Last Rites, the genre has felt like a constant, prominent presence. And that’s great.
But, it has left a bit of a gap around Halloween. A smattering of smaller horror movies opened this month, but in terms of major releases, October really offers only Blumhouse’s Black Phone 2 and Neon’s Shelby Oaks. And both of those release before Halloween itself.
Netflix is taking advantage by getting KPop Demon Hunters in theaters for that weekend, and considering the demon-filled musical is likely going to inspire the most Halloween costumes of any movie this year, that’s a smart move by the streamer. WB is already playing the game by dropping Weapons on HBO Max this Friday, encouraging people to curl up and get their scares at home. But Sinners needs to get in on the action.
A theatrical re-release, especially in IMAX, would kill. Audiences already proved willing to go see the film multiple times, and gathering for Coogler’s crowdpleasing vampire flick on the spookiest night of the year would instantly reignite the conversation around it. And, of course, the movie has a shot at making a bit more money, reinforcing its narrative as the feel-good box office story of the year.
Horror movies historically have had to fight for their place at the Academy Awards, but this is the one time of year that they have an undeniable leg-up on the competition. If Sinners misses this opportunity, regaining the ground that Hamnet, One Battle After Another, and Marty Supreme have eaten up will require a lot more legwork.
- Release Date
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April 18, 2025
- Runtime
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138 minutes
- Director
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Ryan Coogler
