In an era utterly dominated by franchises, sequels, reboots, and cinematic universes, the highest grossing original films stand out as anomalies. The last 15 years have been a relentless cycle of familiar IPs driving ticket sales worldwide. Yet, despite this, one original film has managed to break through the noise: Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners.”
"Sinners," which remains in the box-office top 10, has now overtaken "Gravity" ($274M), claiming the title of the highest-grossing live-action original film in 15 years. This is a remarkable milestone for Ryan Coogler’s R-rated vampire thriller, and that’s despite its tepid performance overseas where it’s only notched around $80M.
Inception (2010) — $292 million
Sinners (2025) — $275 million
Gravity (2013) — $274 million
Dunkirk (2017) — $189 million
A Quiet Place (2018) — $188 million
Interstellar (2014) — $188 million
Get Out (2017) — $176 million
Us (2019) — $175 million
Bridesmaids (2011) — $169 million
The Heat (2013) — $159 million
La La Land (2016) — $151 million
Might Sinners' success underscore a potential shift in audience preferences, signaling a renewed interest in original narratives? Its performance challenges the prevailing notion that only franchise films can achieve significant box office success, offering a tinge of hope for future original projects in an industry often criticized for its reliance on IP.