Sinners inspired by Metallica

Plus: Ryan Gosling's Star Wars, Lochlan Ratliff explained, and Stunts Oscar finally arrives.

Author

Brock Swinson
April 18, 2025

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FEATURE 

🩸 Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners' Inspired by Metallica?

Ryan Coogler, the acclaimed director behind "Black Panther," has revealed an unexpected influence behind his newest horror film "Sinners" - heavy metal legends Metallica.

The 38-year-old filmmaker explained that while growing up in Oakland surrounded by hip-hop culture, it was actually Metallica's dynamic song structures that provided the blueprint for his Southern vampire tale.

"I wanted the movie to have the simplicity — and simultaneously the profound nature — of a Delta blues song. But I wanted it to have the contrast, variation and the inevitability of a great Metallica song, like 'One.'"

- Ryan Coogler

"Sinners," which opens this Friday, stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role as twin brothers in 1930s Mississippi, blending blues history with supernatural horror.

The musical connection runs deeper than just inspiration - Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich actually performs on the film's score, composed by Ludwig Göransson, who previously won Oscars for both "Black Panther" and "Oppenheimer."

Coogler developed the project partly as a tribute to his late uncle James, who introduced him to blues music. The director now calls the blues "our country's greatest contribution to global culture" and wanted to create a film that challenges traditional genre boundaries.

For Coogler, whose previous works include "Fruitvale Station" and both "Black Panther" films, "Sinners" represents a bold new direction while maintaining his collaborative relationship with Jordan and composer Göransson.

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