Sinners (2025): Cast, Story, Oscars and Where to Watch

Ryan Coogler’s blues-soaked vampire film set a record with 16 Oscar nominations and won four.

By EuroFilm Editorial · October 23, 2026 · 6 min read

Sinners is an original film, not a sequel, remake or adaptation, from the director of Black Panther and Creed, and it became one of the defining films of 2025. It is a period drama, a music film and a vampire horror movie all at once.

What is Sinners about?

In 1932, twin brothers and First World War veterans come home to Clarksdale, Mississippi, after years working for gangsters in Chicago. They plan to open a juke joint for the local Black community. On opening night, their young cousin’s blues playing is so powerful that it draws something evil to the door. Coogler uses the horror to explore music, culture and exploitation in the Jim Crow South.

Sinners cast

Michael B. Jordan plays both twins, Elijah “Smoke” and Elias “Stack” Moore, and the double performance won him the Oscar for Best Actor. Newcomer Miles Caton plays Sammie, the cousin whose music sets events in motion. Hailee Steinfeld is Mary, Jack O’Connell is the vampire Remmick, Wunmi Mosaku is Annie, Jayme Lawson is Pearline and Delroy Lindo plays the bluesman Delta Slim.

How it was made

Coogler shot the film on 65mm with IMAX and Ultra Panavision 70 cameras, switching between two very different aspect ratios. Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman ever to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography for it.

Reviews and awards

Sinners has some of the best reviews of the decade: 97% on Rotten Tomatoes from 439 reviews, 84 on Metacritic and an A CinemaScore. At the 98th Academy Awards it received 16 nominations, more than any film in history, and won four: Best Actor for Jordan, Best Original Screenplay for Coogler, Best Cinematography and Best Original Score for Ludwig Göransson. It grossed about $370 million worldwide against a budget of around $90 million.

Where to watch Sinners

Sinners has streamed on HBO Max since July 4, 2025, and is available to rent or buy digitally and on disc. For more horror, see our guide to Weapons.

Is Sinners worth watching?

Absolutely. It is one of the few genuinely original blockbusters of recent years, and it works whether you come for the horror, the music or the history. Note that it is R-rated, with strong violence.