“Sinners” is a critical sensation, but more importantly, it’s on the path to financial success for Warner Bros. That means writer/director Ryan Coogler will get the chance few Black filmmakers get: the opportunity to create an extended cinematic universe.
The mid-credits scene let us know he had more story to tell, and now he will almost certainly get a chance to do it. Let’s explore what he set up in the movie, as we try to figure out what he might do next.
Did Sammie sell his soul?
I’ve written about how I think Sammie might have sold his soul. The end-credits scene shows him with no scars. That means that it takes place before the events depicted in the movie. Does he attract Remmick because he has access to another dimension? Is the scene showcasing Black music in the middle of the film a sign that he can tap into the divine because of an encounter with an otherworldly being? The next film could show us the answer.
Choctaw Vampire Hunters
The badest bad asses in the film are not Smoke and Stack. It’s not even Remick. They are the Choctaw vampire hunters. Those dudes were polite, but they are clearly not to be f*cked with. As I said before, a film, a book, or even a Tik Tok about the Choctaw men who had Remmick running for his life is needed.
Smoke and Stack, the Early Years
The story hinted at regarding what happened to the twins after they left Mississippi is intriguing. There have not been many stories told about the Black experience in World War One. But also, what the hell did they do to get in good with Al Capone? And what led them to conclude that Chicago is like “Mississippi, just with bigger buildings? There is a lot of meat left on that bone.”
Stack and Mary, the Vampire Years
In the mid-credits scene, Stack shows up in the flyest 1990s clothes imaginable and Mary looks like Jennifer Lopez when she was a fly girl. Their love story would be fascinating to explore. Are they still out here biting innocent necks? Are they vampire superheroes who only kill bad people? We need more.
Whatever Story Coogler Wants to Tell
These are all great stories he could explore. But he could also follow Sammie as he becomes a Blues legend. Or he could tell a different story about another vampire who wants revenge for what happened to Remmick. Or maybe he wants to go in a different direction and explore a Teddy Riley like figure who is just as gifted as Sammie, but uses his ability to change R&B.
Anyway, Ryan Coogler blesses us, we will be satisfied. Only one request: Next time, don’t make us wait 45 minutes before the bloodsuckers show up.