Hollywood's Sequel Obsession Could Ruin 'Sinners', but Ryan Coogler Has His Own Plans
Although there have been rumors that Sinners will get a sequel, it seems that the studio and Ryan Coogler have different plans. Here's what the director had to say about it.
Ryan Coogler's Sinners has been making waves in theaters. The Black Panther and Creed director's first original film in over a decade earned $350 million at the box office and received high praise from critics, earning a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
'Sinners 2' Rumor Is Debunked by Warner Bros. Discovery
Even before production began, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Sinners had a potential to become a franchise, and the likelihood of a sequel seems to grow by the day.
Production Weekly listed Sinners 2 as currently in development. However, Warner Bros. Discovery quickly denied the rumor. According to Dark Horizons, the studio claimed that the rumor of a Sinners sequel "isn't true."
Ryan Coogler Himself Considers 'Sinners' a Standalone Movie
It is confirmed by the words of Ryan Coogler himself, who made a name for himself in Hollywood thanks to franchises like Creed and Black Panther. In an interview with Ebony, the director said that with Sinners, he wanted to move away from the franchise format:
“I’ve been in a space of making franchise films for a bit, so I wanted to get away from that. I was looking forward to working on a film that felt original and personal to me and had an appetite for delivering something to audiences that was original and unique. [...] That was always my intention.”
'Sinners 2' Rumor Divided Fans
Fans of the film have had mixed reactions to the rumor. Some agree with Coogler, believing that Sinners is a complete story that does not need a sequel. Reddit user mxs64 wrote:
“society is so sequel-brainrotted that they need a sequel before they've even digested the first film. let things marinade, enjoy the art, and don't just clamber for the next hit, for gods sake.”
Some believe that Sinners left many of its secrets unexplained and that a prequel about the Irish vampire Remmick, played by Jack O'Connell, would be a good idea. Redditor KDoggg89 commented:
“The only thing Sinners would "need" is a prequel/origin movie on Remmick because he's old and I would love the pre-Christianity perspective and to know how he actually turned.”
'Sinners' Was the Only Original Film Among May 2025's Highest-Grossing Releases
We live in an era of prequels, sequels, and remakes. Among the five highest-grossing films in May 2025, only one is original – and yes, it is Sinners. The other four are the Lilo & Stitch remake, Final Destination Bloodlines, Thunderbolts*, and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
Currently, the best strategy for Ryan Coogler seems to be keeping Sinners a standalone film – a shining gem that lit the hearts of millions of viewers without succumbing to the commercial impulses of studio heads.
