Sinners, the 2025 vampire horror film directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan, has rewritten Academy Awards history. On January 22, 2026, the film earned an unprecedented 16 Oscar nominations, surpassing all previous records.
Released theatrically on April 18, 2025, after a brief delay from March, the IMAX-shot supernatural thriller gained massive critical acclaim and box office success, setting the stage for its awards-season dominance.
Plot and Cast Highlights
The film follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both portrayed by Michael B. Jordan) as they return to their Mississippi hometown, attempting to escape troubled pasts—only to face a terrifying vampire uprising.
Drawing deeply from West African spiritual traditions and Southern blues folklore, Sinners blends horror with cultural history. The haunting narrative unfolds amid Jim Crow–era America, elevating the genre beyond conventional vampire tales.
The ensemble cast includes:
Hailee Steinfeld
Jack O’Connell
Wunmi Mosaku
Delroy Lindo
Longtime collaborators return as well, including composer Ludwig Göransson and production designer Hannah Beachler, enhancing the film’s emotional and visual depth. The ending delivers intense confrontations, symbolic reunions in death, and subtle hints toward possible future stories through Sammie’s Chicago journey.
Oscar Nominations Breakdown
Sinners leads the 98th Academy Awards with nominations across nearly every major category, including:
Best Picture
Best Director – Ryan Coogler
Best Actor – Michael B. Jordan
Best Cinematography
Best Production Design
Best Original Score
Shot on film with 70mm theatrical prints, the movie was praised for its technical mastery and cultural storytelling. While Coogler initially designed Sinners as a standalone project, fan theories and post-credit symbolism continue to fuel sequel speculation.
Impact and Future Prospects
With its record-breaking nomination haul, Sinners has emerged as a dominant awards-season frontrunner, surpassing competitors like Wicked and becoming one of the most talked-about films of 2026.
The film’s DVD release on July 8, 2025, further expanded its audience and reinforced Ryan Coogler’s successful transition from franchise filmmaking to bold, original horror cinema.
As the Oscars approach, Sinners stands poised to cement its place as a landmark achievement—proving that horror, when infused with culture and craft, can redefine cinematic history.
“When Horror Meets History, Records Are Written in Blood.”
