Ryan Coogler’s Sinners has made a significant impact at the box office, debuting with $45.6 million domestically and $63.5 million worldwide during its Easter weekend release. This performance marks the highest opening for an original film since the pandemic era, surpassing expectations and dethroning A Minecraft Movie from the top spot. Critically, the film has been lauded, achieving a 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 8.7 out of 10, indicating widespread acclaim from reviewers
The narrative unfolds in the haunting landscape of 1932 Clarksdale, Mississippi. Yet, beneath the film’s Southern Gothic veneer lies the indelible imprint of Chicago—a city that, while not always visible on screen, profoundly shapes the story’s characters, themes, and cultural undercurrents.
The Windy City’s Shadow
The protagonists, twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both portrayed by Michael B. Jordan), return to their Mississippi hometown after years immersed in Chicago’s criminal underworld, having worked under the infamous Al Capone. Their experiences in Chicago are not mere backstory; they are the crucible that forged their identities, ambitions, and the very essence of their enterprise—a juke joint intended as a haven for their community.
This return is not just a physical journey but a symbolic one, representing a migration of ideas, resilience, and cultural fusion. The brothers bring with them the complexities of urban life, the allure and dangers of organized crime, and a vision for a space that challenges the oppressive norms of their hometown.
Sinners is as much a film about migration and memory as it is about monsters. Coogler leans into Chicago not just as a setting, but as a soul—an unseen co-star that brings weight and authenticity to every frame.
Cultural Resonance
Chicago’s influence also permeates the film’s musical landscape. The city’s rich blues heritage echoes through the performances of characters like Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) and the prodigious Sammie (Miles Caton). The music becomes a conduit for storytelling, reflecting the characters’ struggles, aspirations, and the supernatural elements that entwine their lives.
Moreover, the film’s aesthetic choices—its fashion, dialogue, and even the architecture of the juke joint—bear the hallmarks of Chicago’s vibrant cultural scene during the Prohibition era. These elements serve as a testament to the city’s enduring impact on the characters’ identities and the narrative’s progression.
In a recent interview with The Movie Blog, Coogler revealed how deeply Chicago’s influence runs through the bones of Sinners. “Sinners is a Chicago movie as well as it is a Mississippi Delta movie,” Coogler said. “You know, the Delta blues… it’s like Highway 61. It’s like the artery.”
While the narrative draws heavily on Southern gothic horror and the blues traditions of the Mississippi Delta, Coogler pointed to Chicago’s role as the spiritual and musical heir to that region. Chicago became a northern epicenter for the Delta blues during the Great Migration, when countless Black families brought their stories—and their sound—north.
“My wife’s father is from Chicago. He’s 93 years old,” Coogler shared. “He read the script before we took it out and got feedback—and he gave it his stamp of approval.”
That familial tie gave Coogler a sense of grounding. In many ways, Sinners becomes a cinematic bridge between the South’s haunting past and Chicago’s electric, urban storytelling. The film’s sonic palette is filled with echoes of Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and Koko Taylor—artists who once called the city home and whose influence can be felt in every guitar lick and whispered ghost tale within the film.
But Chicago isn’t just in the music. It’s in the grit and resilience of the characters. It’s in the visual language—the flash of train tracks, the silhouette of a church steeple against a thunderstorm. It’s in the way the story moves, slipping between present and past, between what’s seen and what’s hidden—like the city itself.
“I’m excited about playing it here,” Coogler said of the film’s screenings in Chicago. “I’m really interested to see how it plays here.”
As Sinners continues its box office run, Chicagoans can take pride in knowing that the city’s DNA is etched into the film’s emotional and aesthetic core. In the tradition of great American horror, Sinners reminds us that where a story takes place can be just as powerful as the story itself—and in this case, Chicago steals the scene without ever saying a word
For a deeper dive into the making of Sinners and its cultural influences, watch the cast discuss the film in this exclusive interview:
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