Michael B. Jordan and director Ryan Coogler are back together for their latest collaboration, Sinners, a chilling horror film that dives deep into Southern history and folklore.
As you may know, Coogler, who previously worked with Jordan on Fruitvale Station, Creed, and Black Panther, spoke about how Sinners feels like one of the most personal projects he has ever worked on. “Each time I make something, I’ve been blessed to create something that feels personal. And this one is no different,” Coogler explained. “My maternal grandfather is from Mississippi, and my Uncle James, who passed away while I was finishing Creed, is also from Mississippi. And it was a place that I had never been.”
Here’s what Els Coogler said, “My maternal grandfather passed before I was born, but I grew up in a house that he built after he moved to California. I was fortunate enough to have a really, really close relationship with my Uncle James. And this movie is about… The seed of it started with that relationship with my uncle. He would listen to blues music all the time. He would only talk about Mississippi when he was listening to that music. And he had a profound effect on my life.”
Get this: the film, which sees Jordan playing identical twins, also marks a deep dive into Coogler’s own ancestral history. “I got a chance to dig into my own ancestral history with this film, and it’s been extremely rewarding,” Coogler shared. “This was heavily researched. We went really hard to make sure that the only ‘make believe’ in the film is the supernatural. We wanted the world to be extremely tactile, the same way that we approached our other films.”
Moreover, behind the camera, Coogler reunited with his trusted collaborators, including production designer Hannah Beachler, costume designer Ruth Carter, and composer Ludwig Goransson, who played crucial roles in his previous films. “It’s my fifth film working with Hannah, and this film is some of her best work. It’s as tactile as anything she’s made,” Coogler praised. “Ruth Carter did an amazing job bringing the time period to life, and Ludwig’s work on the score is hauntingly beautiful.”
When it comes to this film’s authenticity, the director emphasized the thorough research behind the film’s supernatural elements, particularly the influence of hoodoo culture. “We went to B.B. King’s club in Indianola, Miss., and played on the stage of his club. It was just heavily researched. In terms of the supernatural elements, we had consultants on hand to ensure authenticity in portraying hoodoo culture. It was so much fun.”
With its authentic Southern roots and supernatural intrigue, Sinners promises to be a new chapter in Coogler and Jordan’s Hollywood run.
Check out the trailer below:
