Coogler on Blues, Irish Music & Vampire Villain in Sinners

Director Ryan Coogler's latest film 'Sinners' masquerades as a vampire horror story, but its true brilliance lies in its vivid portrayal of 1930s Mississippi. By weaving blues music – historically condemned as "the devil's music" – into the narrative, the film offers a profound exploration of its predominantly African-American characters, led by Michael B. Jordan's dual performance as twin brothers Smoke and Stack.

"Beyond its bloodthirsty creatures, Sinners pulses with musical vitality," notes Eric Goldman in his glowing IGN review. "The blues performances by Sammie (Miles Caton) and local legend Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) at the brothers' establishment become a portal into how music connects communities across generations – often unconsciously. Vampire leader Remmick (Jack O'Connell) forms a striking counterpoint to these soulful rhythms, with his Irish heritage introducing another layer of musical tradition that grows increasingly pivotal."

Coogler masterfully intertwines African-American blues and Irish folk music to illuminate shared colonial traumas between humans and vampires alike. Both musical traditions receive showstopping sequences that, as Goldman observes, transform Sinners into "a film adjacent to musicals" that "lets audiences witness music's power to echo through time and immortalize its creators."

In our recent conversation, Coogler discussed Sinners' musical backbone, its breathtaking set pieces, and how vampire antagonist Remmick became as personal to him as Black Panther's Killmonger. (This interview has been edited for clarity.)

IGN: What significance does blues music hold for your characters' world?

Ryan Coogler: It's an affirmation of complete humanity. The blues exists alongside church music – some of America's first musical traditions – yet was demonized despite sharing cultural roots. Where church nurtures the soul, blues embraces body and soul alike. It acknowledges physical pain, desire, anger – all facets of human existence. This music is rebellion against generational oppression, yet also celebration of beauty. Unlike sanitized religious experiences, the blues makes no hypocritical omissions – it welcomes flawed humanity with raw honesty.

The juke joint becomes a sanctuary for unfiltered self-expression. In cotton fields, you couldn't show your sexuality or true self. But here? You can reveal every dimension of who you are.

"Writing Remmick affected me unlike any antagonist before – I adored crafting his character."

IGN: Your vampire collective unites diverse individuals into something new. How should audiences interpret this?

Ryan Coogler: Once April 18th arrives, the film belongs to audiences to interpret freely. But personally? I've never connected with an antagonist like Remmick. I relished writing him and working with Jack O'Connell's brilliant performance. I wanted a master vampire who subverts expectations – not some egalitarian coven or pre-formed group like Lost Boys, but a gradually revealed leader whose racial views shock his victims. His identification with the oppressed people he hunts? That electrified me – it felt genuinely unprecedented.

25 Greatest Vampire Films in Cinema History

26 Images

IGN: The musical sequences – particularly the juke joint scene and the vampires' Irish folk performance – are transcendent.

Ryan Coogler: They're the film's heartbeat. These aren't mere diversions – they're essential for understanding Remmick's vision of fellowship. Consider Irish step dancing's origins as forbidden rebellion, its iconic rigidity birthed from restriction. Now imagine this vampire arriving in 1932 Clarksdale: Who calls to him? Where does he belong on Saturday nights? These questions fueled our creative fire.

We're releasing this to jaded 2025 audiences. I want to recreate that magical, pre-cynical cinema experience – like first seeing dinosaurs chase jeeps in Jurassic Park. That's the sensation I'm chasing with these sequences.

Sinners Image Gallery

12 Images

IGN: The juke joint's single-take execution makes music feel timeless. What inspired this approach?

Ryan Coogler: During scripting, I realized vampirism alone couldn't convey what I wanted. We needed additional supernatural elements expressed through film language. Think about witnessing virtuoso performances – that transcendent, out-of-body feeling when cultural context clicks. People describe it violently: "They shredded the place!" My job is translating that ineffable experience into pure cinema.

The juke joint emerged from profound deprivation. These were people denied basic freedoms who created spaces where future generations might visit through music. Isn't that miraculous?

"At funerals we dance through tears – this resonates across both African and Irish traditions."

IGN: The Irish folk sequence creates powerful contrasts through vampire eyes.

Ryan Coogler: Irish music thrives on hidden contradictions. "Rocky Road to Dublin" recounts hardship with infectious energy, mentioning ghouls and vampires in exhilarating ways. Just as Delta blues emerged from working stolen land, Irish traditions developed under oppression. Both cultures dance at funerals, hide meanings from oppressors – this vampire recognizes kindred spirits across racial lines. That realization? That's why I make movies.

IGN: So throw a party instead.

Ryan Coogler: Exactly. Never let them see you break. That defiant spirit connects across oceans and centuries – and when this vampire finds it in people who look nothing like him? That's cinema magic.