Watch Spike Lee’s Blistering Praise for Ryan Coogler’s New Horror Film

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Renowned director Ryan Coogler, known for his work on the Black Panther and Creed series, is venturing into a new genre with his upcoming horror film, Sinners. This period vampire thriller, set in 1930s rural America, is one of this year’s most eagerly awaited releases. Michael B. Jordan, who has frequently collaborated with Coogler throughout his career, will rejoin the Academy Award-winning director as the lead. Interestingly, Jordan will portray twin brothers Smoke and Stack in the film. Details about Sinners have been deliberately scarce prior to its release, but early responses to the movie have been favorable. Currently, Sinners boasts a remarkable 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes from over four dozen critics, making it the best-reviewed wide-release film of 2025 thus far, well into the year.

In simpler terms, “Critics have been impressed by ‘Sinners’, but what’s more, legendary filmmaker Spike Lee has also praised it. On Instagram, Lee shared that Ryan Coogler invited him to a special screening of ‘Sinners’ in IMAX and sought his opinion. After watching the film, Lee expressed that it had been a long time since he enjoyed a movie as much as he did with ‘Sinners’. The respected director also praised other aspects of the film, such as the performances, particularly Jordan’s, the cinematography, the music, the costume design, and more. Lee concluded by saying, “I haven’t felt this way in a cinema in a while.” With such high praise coming from a filmmaker as renowned as Spike Lee, ‘Sinners’ is poised to become an immediate classic and should be on everyone’s list of movies to watch.

Sinners Will be Ryan Coogler’s First Stab at the Horror Genre

Over the past ten years, I’ve been truly captivated by the meteoric rise of Ryan Coogler as a leading Hollywood director. His first feature film, “Fruitvale Station,” debuted in 2012 and garnered the Best First Film award at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. This groundbreaking debut also won the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Since then, this talented director born in Oakland has co-written and directed movies like “Creed” and the critically acclaimed “Black Panther.” Both films were massive hits, with the latter shattering records as the highest-grossing film directed by a Black filmmaker. Now, after demonstrating his knack for blockbuster cinema, Coogler is diving into the realm of horror with his latest project.

The movie seamlessly blends various genres, not sticking strictly to one. While vampires are present, they’re just one of many supernatural elements. The film delves into topics beyond just that.” Coogler considered Sinners his most emotional work because it allowed him to delve into his ancestral Mississippi family history, converse with his nearly 100-year-old grandmother, and honor his uncle who passed away during the post-production of 2015’s Creed. “The setting is a world my grandparents lived in. A period often overlooked in American history,” Coogler noted. “I feel fortunate to have found this platform where I can grapple with profound philosophical and existential questions, while also enriching an art form dear to my family. Each film helps me better understand myself and the world around me.

Michael B. Jordan Is Pulling Double Duty in Sinners

In the upcoming horror movie “Sinners”, Michael B. Jordan will take on a unique role by portraying two characters. Director Ryan Coogler mentioned that this double duty for Jordan could be one of the most challenging tasks he’s ever assigned. He explained, “In Creed, we pushed him to his limits, both dramatically – working alongside Sylvester Stallone and carrying on the legacy of Carl Weathers, as well as physically – changing his body, learning how to fight, and performing without a stunt double. And with Black Panther, he was tested again with the character of Killmonger and all the special effects and superhero suits. But what I’m asking him to do in Sinners is something I haven’t demanded from any actor before. There’s nothing supernatural about the characters he’s playing – they are just identical biological twins.

At a glamorous premiere gathering, Jordan expressed that portraying twin brothers expanded his creative boundaries, yet he remains content with the final product. “I believe it took me out of my usual comfort zone,” Jordan explained. “Playing two characters simultaneously demanded a great deal from me in various aspects. Normally, I develop one character throughout the entire film. However, this time around, I had twin brothers, which introduced an additional layer of psychological complexity that we aimed to bring into the movie. In essence, I was tested and pushed beyond my limits, scene by scene, as I wanted to do justice to Ryan [Coogler]’s vision.

Previously, Jordan isn’t the first performer to play two main roles simultaneously. Eddie Murphy did this in “The Nutty Professor,” Mike Myers portrayed both the protagonist and antagonist in “Austin Powers,” Tom Hardy took on the roles of a pair of twin gangsters in “Legend,” and most notably, Lindsay Lohan played identical twins in the remake of “The Parent Trap.” In the upcoming film “Sinners,” it will be intriguing to observe how Jordan manages the contrast between the twin brothers.

Spike Lee Champions Sinners as a Must-See Theater Experience

Before the debut of his initial horror production, titled “Sinners”, director Coogler expressed his ambition to rekindle the excitement surrounding cinema-going. Although online streaming has led to a significant drop in theater attendance, Coogler maintains that watching a film on the big screen can still be an enchanting experience – one he aspires “Sinners” will offer its viewers. As the “Black Panther” director put it, “I want people leaving the cinema feeling like they’ve had a satisfying meal, knowing that those involved genuinely care about this medium.” Every team member understood that the project was destined for cinemas, and they all shared a passion for experiencing movies on a grand scale, particularly when a good one is shown. Although “Sinners” has not yet hit theaters officially, Coogler’s aim to astonish viewers has been realized in the early screenings. The film has already gained impressive reviews, with legendary director Spike Lee expressing his admiration for Coogler’s upcoming horror production.

Following an invitation from Coogler for a special IMAX screening of the film “Sinners“, Lee took to Instagram to express his gratitude and share his thoughts. After reflecting on this cinematic experience, Lee stated, “I haven’t had such a fantastic movie-watching moment in years.” The acclaimed director also praised various elements of “Sinners“, including the acting, particularly Jordan’s performance, the visuals, the music, costume design, and more. Lee further added, “It’s been a while since I felt this exhilarated in a movie theater.” Throughout his illustrious career spanning over two decades, Lee has directed 25 films and garnered multiple accolades such as two Academy Awards, two Peabody Awards, and a pair of Emmy Awards. Given his extensive experience and success in Hollywood, Lee’s glowing review of “Sinners” carries significant weight.

Black Directors Have Enjoyed Massive Success in Horror

Ryan Coogler moving into the chilling horror genre might yield positive results, given that black filmmakers have thrived in this field. In the year 2000, the Wayans brothers collaborated to produce a film that combined horror and comedy. This genre blend made its premiere at the top of the US box office, earning $42,346,669 during its opening weekend. The movie’s impressive debut surpassed the previous record for the biggest opening weekend for any R-rated film, which was held by “Air Force One”.

Several years down the line, Peele made his debut in the horror genre with the movie “Get Out”, which he both wrote and directed. This film was released in 2017 and quickly became a timeless classic. Notably, when “Get Out” exceeded the $100 million mark at the box office, Peele became the first African-American writer-director to achieve this milestone with their debut film. Incredibly, “Get Out” also holds the record for the highest-grossing debut from a writer-director working from an original screenplay. Now, Coogler is about to carve his own piece of history in horror with “Sinners”, his first foray into this genre.

Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan are a Proven Hollywood Tandem

The fifth film collaboration between Coogler and Jordan, titled “Sinners,” follows after their critically acclaimed works such as “Fruitvale Station,” “Creed,” “Black Panther,” and “Wakanda Forever.” Since their initial project together, this duo has consistently demonstrated the ability to produce Academy Award-worthy films. Jordan famously portrayed the notorious assassin and antagonist Killmonger in Coogler’s “Black Panther.” This blockbuster temporarily held the title for the highest-grossing superhero movie ever (before being surpassed), and it surpassed “Titanic” to become the third highest-grossing film in the US, trailing only behind “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “Avatar.” The boxing-focused “Creed” franchise, a spinoff from the “Rocky” series, was another critical and commercial triumph. Despite each “Creed” installment having budgets under $80 million, they all grossed over $170 million, with the latest release, “Creed III,” earning an impressive $276 million. With their track record of success, Coogler and Jordan aim to create more cinematic magic with “Sinners.

The film titled “Sinners” will commence its exclusive theater premiere on April 18, 2025. For those seeking an authentic, cinematically immersive experience, the big screen is the ideal choice.

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2025-04-18 16:08