It’s no secret that Hollywood has been stuck in a sustained state of anxiety over box office numbers for several years.And the first few months of 2025 haven’t been helping things. Towards the end of March, the domestic box office had only reached atotal of $1.34 billion, down 7% from the same time period in 2024. At last month’s CinemaCon in Las Vegas, thevibes were reportedly tense, as many industry insiders seemedfearful for the future of moviegoingand concerns grew over an increasingly strained relationship between studios and exhibitors.
There is a lot ofuncertainty surrounding the direction that the theatrical experience is heading in.One thing is for sure, though: studios effectively and properly marketing their films is more critical than ever before—especially their original, non-IP stories. That is why all of Hollywood should be closely studying the strategy implemented byWarner Bros.andRyan Cooglerfor the release ofSinners. The visionary director not only did a tremendous job building hype around his latest release but also passionately and genuinelyinformed potential audiences on thevalue of the theatrical experiencein a way that attracted both devoted cinephiles and casual moviegoers.
Ryan Coogler Provided the Blueprint for Marketing Original Stories to Both Serious Cinephiles and Casual Movie Fans
On April 10th—a week before the release ofSinners—Coogler collaborated with Kodakto release a video teaching audiences about the different format options available for them to see his new film in. Soon after, it went viral, amassing over14 million views and 75,000 likes on Xalone. It takes nothing more than a quick scroll through the comments to see that the video was met with near universal praise, with anticipating viewers feeling grateful for Coogler’s casual yet informative approach. In the wake ofSinnersalready pulling inbig numbers in its opening weekend, the video and Coogler’s refreshing style of marketing can be seen as a perfect example of how studios cansuccessfully speak to serious film lovers and average entertainment consumers at the same time.
Movie nerds obviously loved watching and listening to Coogler speak in depth about the best ways to experienceSinners. But the true genius of the Kodak video was that itgranted less informed viewers access to information that may have eluded themand presented said information in a wholly unpretentious manner. Seemingly, Coogler understood that the root of thebox office problemis the fact that too many people see the theatrical experience as spending extra money and exerting unnecessary effort for something that they can basically do on their couch for free. While this is, of course, a ridiculous notion, the correct way to combat itisn’t just to shame or repeatedly implore people to go to the theater.Instead, it is on studios, creatives, and everyday film lovers to at least attempt to do the workto show those misguided people why the theatrical experience is still valuable.
Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ Isn’t Just a Great Horror Movie — It’s a Tribute to the Genre-Blending Mastery of John Carpenter
The Master of Horror would be proud.
In today’s crowded entertainment landscape,it’s necessary to make people aware of what the cost of a ticket is getting them.“Eventizing” a movie just by offering higher-priced tickets for specialty formats doesn’t work if people don’t know what terms like “IMAX,” “70mm,” or “Dolby Atmos” actually mean. In other words, if you’re asking people to spend the money, they need to havean understanding of what that money is getting them. Of course, this doesn’t just apply to how people are watching something, but what they are watching as well.
In interviews, Coogler’s donea great job of explaining what audiences can expect fromSinners.He never gives away certain twists or specific plot points, but he’s been very open about thetone and themes of his film,what influenced it, andwhat compelled him to make itin the first place. While some artists prefer not to delve too deeply into the meaning of their own work—which is entirely their right—it’s undeniable that insights like the ones Coogler shared aboutSinnersaid people in making the decision to show up to the theater. Studios shouldn’t begiving away complete plots in trailers, but there also needs to be an understanding that they can’t market their films the same way they did in previous decades when they could just slap a couple of movie star faces on a poster and nondescriptly promise a “fun time at the theater.” Fortunately, the success of something likeSinnersproves that they alsodon’t need to rely on more modern gimmickslikeTikTok trendsandwacky popcorn buckets. Coogler’s approach has shown that if you speak to audiences like adults, with honesty and passion,they will listen.
Ryan Coogler Proved With ‘Sinners’ That Passion Sells
In today’s irony-filled internet age, earnestness can feel like a crime; marketing with a sense of ironic detachment has become the norm—for everything from car insurance to Hollywood blockbusters. Thepositive reaction to Coogler’s passionate, genuine, and forthrightSinnerspress touris proof that we don’t always want the wink-and-nod marketing, though. Think back to the most successful moviegoing event in recent memory,Barbenheimer. That became a cultural phenomenon, and those films became so successful because the marketing wasbuilt around earnestlycelebrating the theatrical experience. Not in some ironic “Chicken Jockey” or “GentleMinions” type of way—though both of those trends do deserve some sort of strange credit for bringing people to the cinema—but in a way that was built around valorizing what is so great about a big screen, a dark theater, and a communal viewing experience.
Studios and artists shouldn’t feel embarrassed to sell pieces of art that they worked incredibly hard on,nor should they feel compelled to downplay how much the industry they belong to means to them.While some filmmakers may be fearful of sounding pretentious if they ascribe too much importance to the field they participate in, usually the results are actually endearing moments like Coogler responding to a question onThe Big Picture podcastabout his feelings on the future of the theatrical experience with the words “It’s a subject matter I can’t talk about without becoming emotional” before touchingly sharing that, in doing research forSinners, he discovered that his grandparents' first date was a trip to their local theater.
Sure, clips of celebrities playing silly games on late-night shows may garner a lot of internet eyeballs. And yes, movies likeDeadpool & Wolverinecan becomebox office sensationswith a meta and ironic marketing strategy. But thoseTonight Showclips don’t reliably bring people to the movie theater, and not all films star popular Marvel characters. The virality of Coogler’s Kodak video and the box office success ofSinnersare evidence of the fact thatpeople are looking for sincerity and passion. They will still show up for original movies if marketed to with engaging and informative content that doesn’t talk down to them or treat them like children. It’s on the studios to be better at giving them that content.
Two brothers return to their hometown in the Jim Crow-era South seeking a fresh start, only to find that an even greater evil, including the Ku Klux Klan, has taken root. Michael B. Jordan stars as twins in this vampire thriller directed by Ryan Coogler, blending supernatural horror with historical tension.
