In 2012, Hawke entered the horror genre for the first time, by playing a true crime writer in Scott Derrickson's "Sinister", which grossed US$87 million at the worldwide box office—the film was the first in a series of highly profitable films for Hawke after the start of the new decade. In the week prior to the US opening of "Sinister", Hawke explained that he was previously turned off by horror because good acting is not always required for success; however, the producer of "Sinister", Jason Blum, who formerly ran a theater company with Hawke, made the offer to the actor based on the character and director.