Even if the ‘Black Panther’ movies did nothing for me, Ryan Coogler directed the hell out of 2015’s “Creed” and he’s now finally back to non-IP storytelling, for the first time since his 2013 debut “Fruitvale Station.”
Coogler’s “Sinners,” which, ironically, he wants to turn into a franchise, is set up for April 18 theatrical release via Warner Bros. The first full-length trailer has been released. It’s also Coogler’s first film shot on celluloid since ‘Fruitvale.’
For whatever it’s worth, I’ve been hearing mixed things about “Sinners” which has test screened a few times already. Based on the few people I’ve spoken to, the consensus seems to be that of a messy film which unevenly balances a handful of genres.
The story has to do with twin cousins, Elijah and Elias (Jordan), who try to leave their troubled lives behind and head south, after spending years in Capone-inflicted Chicago. They return to their hometown, where slavery was recently abolished, but the KKK still looms large.
Jordan’s performance is said to be a standout, and there’s a romance that sparks between one of the cousins and Haillee Steinfeld’s Mary (described as a “toxic love interest”). Meanwhile, the film heavily focuses on another character, Miles Canton’s Sammie. Sammie’s father tells him to follow the “path of God,” but there’s temptation to join the twins for a “life of sin.” As far as the vampire elements go, the bloodsuckers only appear in spurts throughout the film.
“Sinners,” which wrapped production in early summer, sparked one the hottest bidding wars in recent memory, and had Warner Bros finally landing the rights in February 2024. The budget on the film is said to be around $90M.