Sinners (2025 film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sinners (2025 film) |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Ryan Coogler |
| Produced by |
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| Written by | Ryan Coogler |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Ludwig Göransson |
| Cinematography | Autumn Durald Arkapaw |
| Editing by | Michael P. Shawver |
| Studio | Proximity Media |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Release date(s) | April 3, 2025 (AMC Lincoln Square) April 18, 2025 (United States) |
| Running time | 138 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $90–100 million |
| Money made | $368.3 million |
Sinners is an exciting American horror film from 2025, created by Ryan Coogler. It tells the story of twin brothers, played by Michael B. Jordan, who return to their old home in the Mississippi Delta in 1932. They face a scary, supernatural evil there. The movie also stars Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, and other talented actors.
Ryan Coogler started making this film with his company, Proximity Media. Michael B. Jordan was chosen for the main roles. Warner Bros. Pictures decided to distribute the movie after many studios showed interest. Filming happened from April to July 2024. Ludwig Göransson, who often works with Coogler, created the music for the film.
Sinners first showed on April 3, 2025, and was released in theaters on April 18, 2025. Many people loved the movie, and it made a lot of money worldwide. It was even named one of the top ten films of 2025 by important groups. The film also received many awards and nominations, including a record 16 nominations at the 98th Academy Awards.
Contents
Meet the Cast
- Michael B. Jordan plays the Smokestack Twins:
- Elijah "Smoke" Moore, the older, serious, and practical twin
- Elias "Stack" Moore, the younger, cheerful, and charming twin
- Hailee Steinfeld as Mary, Stack's ex-girlfriend
- Miles Caton as Samuel "Sammie" Moore (also known as "Preacherboy"), Smoke and Stack's cousin, an aspiring blues musician.
- Buddy Guy as elderly Sammie.
- Jack O'Connell as Remmick, an Irish vampire
- Wunmi Mosaku as Annie, Smoke's wife and a practitioner of special traditions
- Jayme Lawson as Pearline, a singer Sammie likes
- Omar Benson Miller as Cornbread, a worker and bouncer
- Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim, an old town harmonica player and music legend
- Peter Dreimanis as Bert, a local member of a group that caused trouble
- Lola Kirke as Joan, a member of a group that caused trouble
- Li Jun Li as Grace Chow, a shopkeeper
- Saul Williams as Jedidiah Moore, a pastor and Sammie's father
- Yao as Bo Chow, Grace's husband and a shopkeeper
- David Maldonado as Hogwood, a local leader of a group that caused trouble
- Helena Hu as Lisa Chow, Bo and Grace's daughter
- Andrene Ward-Hammond as Ruthie, Sammie's mother
- Nathaniel Arcand as Chayton, a Choctaw vampire hunter
- Emonie Ellison as Therise, Cornbread's pregnant wife
Making the Movie: Sinners Production
Getting Started
In January 2024, news came out about a new film from writer and director Ryan Coogler. His company, Proximity Media, was developing it. Michael B. Jordan, who often works with Coogler, was chosen for the main role. Several big studios wanted to distribute the film. Warner Bros. Pictures won the rights in February 2024. They agreed to Coogler's special requests for the film's distribution.
Casting and Filming
In April 2024, Jack O'Connell was cast as the film's villain. Other actors like Delroy Lindo, Hailee Steinfeld, and Wunmi Mosaku also joined the cast. Filming began in New Orleans on April 14, 2024, under the secret name Grilled Cheese. It finished on July 17.
The movie was shot by cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw using special film cameras like IMAX. Arkapaw made history by being the first woman to film a movie using large format IMAX cameras. Kodak even made a special type of film just for this movie, used for a flashback scene.
Special Details and Connections
The film's production designer, Hannah Beachler, included a special detail in the church design. Crossed beams in the church made a gesture that honored the late actor Chadwick Boseman. Boseman starred in the Marvel film Black Panther.
Some of the costumes for Sinners were first designed by Ruth E. Carter for a planned Marvel film called Blade. When Blade production paused, Coogler asked Carter to work on Sinners. Since both films were set around the same time, Carter could reuse her research. Marvel Studios allowed her to use the costumes for Sinners.
Inspirations Behind Sinners
Ryan Coogler shared many things that inspired him to make Sinners. He mentioned films by famous directors like Quentin Tarantino, Jordan Peele, and Christopher Nolan. He also looked to films like From Dusk Till Dawn and The Faculty.
Other movies that influenced him include No Country for Old Men, Inside Llewyn Davis, and Fargo. He also found inspiration in the classic horror film The Thing. A Disney Channel movie, The Luck of the Irish, was also a major influence. Coogler loved the TV show The Twilight Zone. The book Salem's Lot by Stephen King was another big inspiration.
Exploring Themes in Sinners
Ryan Coogler talked about the connections shown in the film between different cultures. These include African Americans, Irish people, and the Choctaw tribe. He noted how their histories and music are linked. For example, blues musician Charlie Patton was likely part Choctaw.
The film is very personal to Coogler. He used his own family history and love for music to create the story. He felt a strong connection to his ancestors while writing. Coogler also explained that Remmick, an Irish character, feels a connection with the Black characters. This is because both groups have faced tough times and challenges in history.
Actor Delroy Lindo shared an emotional story about a scene in the film. He revealed that a special musical moment was made up on the spot. It almost didn't make it into the movie.
The Music of Sinners
Ludwig Göransson, who often works with Coogler, created the music for Sinners. Göransson described the music as very personal and ambitious. He was inspired by blues music. He even played the score on a 1932 Dobro Cyclops resonator guitar, like the one Sammie uses in the film.
The movie is a dedication to Coogler's Uncle James. Uncle James, from the Mississippi region, taught Coogler a lot about the blues. Before filming, Coogler sent Göransson recordings from the 1930s and 1940s. These included famous blues musicians like Robert Johnson and Tommy Johnson. Ludwig's wife, Serena Göransson, a talented violinist, helped produce the songs. She felt like she was protecting something very special.
The Göranssons worked with blues producer Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell. They visited the B.B. King Museum and local music spots for inspiration. They recorded songs with musicians like Alvin Youngblood Hart and Cedric Burnside. Other blues artists like Brittany Howard and Buddy Guy also joined in. Many songs were recorded live on set with the actors performing. Hailee Steinfeld even wrote and recorded an original song for the film called "Dangerous."
The soundtrack for Sinners was released on April 18, 2025. It featured 22 songs by blues musicians and the cast. A single called "Sinners" by Rod Wave was released earlier.
When Sinners Came Out
In Theaters
Sinners was released in the United States and Canada on April 18, 2025. It was originally planned for an earlier date. However, it was delayed to allow more time for editing. This was partly because not many places could process the special film used for the movie. Besides regular digital showings, the film also had special screenings on large 70 mm and IMAX 70 mm film.
In late May 2025, the film was shown in Clarksdale, Mississippi, where the story takes place. The town's civic auditorium hosted several showings. Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Göransson introduced the film. The town also held discussions and Q&A sessions about the movie. AMC Theaters offered special screenings of the film on Juneteenth at lower prices.
At Home
Sinners became available for digital streaming on June 3, 2025. It was released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on July 8, 2025. The movie premiered on HBO Max on July 4, 2025. Warner Bros. announced that Sinners was also available to stream with Black American Sign Language (BASL) interpretation. This was the first time a streaming service offered a film with BASL. The film also became available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 26, 2025.
See also
In Spanish: Sinners para niños
