After winning at the box office, 'Sinners' eyes Oscar glory
10 Jul 2025

Ryan Coogler's horror film Sinners has been praised by critics globally and is considered a strong contender for the upcoming Academy Awards.

The movie has received a 97% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. It also performed well at the box office, grossing over $364 million worldwide—an impressive feat for an original R-rated horror film.

This success has sparked speculation about potential Oscar nominations for the movie and its cast.

Michael B. Jordan expected to be nominated for Best Actor
Potential categories

Sinners could be nominated in several categories, including Best Original Score and Best Original Song, reported Screenrant. The film's score was composed by Ludwig Goransson.

The movie's performances have also been widely praised, with Michael B. Jordan being a strong contender for Best Actor for his dual role as Smoke and Stack.

Other potential nominees include Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku, and newcomer Miles Caton.

Coogler 1st Black director with 2 Best Picture nominees?
Historic nomination

If Sinners secures a Best Picture nomination, it would mark a significant milestone in Oscar history.

It would be the second consecutive year that a horror film is nominated for Best Picture, following 2024's The Substance.

More importantly, it would make Coogler the first Black director to have two Best Picture nominees.

His first nominee was Black Panther, which solidified his reputation as one of Hollywood's top directors.

Academy Awards's history with Black directors
Academy's progress

The potential nomination of Sinners for Best Picture would also highlight the Academy Awards's history with Black directors.

Despite several Black directors helming Best Picture nominees, including Lee Daniels, Steve McQueen, and Barry Jenkins, it has taken 97 years for the Academy to (potentially) recognize a Black director twice in this coveted category.

Have you watched Sinners?