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Jason Bailey, Guest Columnist

‘Sinners’ Is Resurrecting the Art of Word-of-Mouth Marketing

As Ryan Coogler’s film exceeds the $300 million mark, we could be witnessing a much-needed turning point in American cinema.

Tell a friend to tell a friend.

Photographer: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images Europe

On Friday, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners passed a major milestone on its already impressive path to commercial success: that day’s grosses of $4.4 million domestically and $1.2 million internationally brought its total box office haul to $303.5 million. The $300 million mark is a major one for any movie, but especially for an R-rated, adult-oriented original — anything that’s not a sequel, prequel, reboot or adaptation of previously known and beloved intellectual property.

The continued success of Sinners is heartening for these reasons and others. Chief among them is a reason that deserves more attention given the current state of Hollywood: the picture has proven to be a word-of-mouth hit.