‘Sinners’ Should Be a Major Player at the Oscars. Will It Be?

In a sense, Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan have been here before. Their first studio collaboration, Creed, hit theaters under great scrutiny nearly a decade ago, before outperforming expectations both with critics and at the box office. The boxing film marked a pivotal turning point after a series of flops for its distributor, Warner Bros., and thrillingly showcased Coogler’s big-scale filmmaking chops as well as Jordan’s leading man bona fides. The buzz around the movie, a reimagining of the Rocky franchise, was so good that awards chatter swiftly followed—before just as swiftly petering out. The movie only received one Oscar nomination, for Sylvester Stallone’s moving performance as an aged Rocky Balboa. Mind you, this was at the height of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy—and in a year with a best-actor field, at least, that hasn’t aged too well. (Not even Danish Girl nominee Eddie Redmayne would disagree.)

Sinners, the number one movie in America this weekend, was also directed by Coogler, with Jordan as its star, and distributed by Warner Bros. In an even more impressive accomplishment, the film pulled off the largest opening-weekend haul for any original movie since the pandemic. As millions flocked to theaters around the world to catch Coogler’s rousing Southern vampire tale, one question started coming up in my conversations with fans and strategists alike: Is there awards potential here? More specifically, does this movie’s commercial success—and, based on that eye-catching ‘A’ CinemaScore, likely long theatrical tail—improve its chances?

I’d argue it should. The merits of the film, as my colleague Richard Lawson thoroughly laid out in his review, are clear and worthy. Sinners has several Oscar-winning Coogler regulars, such as costume designer Ruth E. Carter and composer Ludwig Göransson, operating not only at the top of their game, but also in completely novel modes of their craft. The movie’s centerpiece, that showstopping juke joint dance that collapses centuries of history into one joyous expression, is one of the most striking sequences of Coogler’s career. And the whole ensemble does richly distinctive work. But the Oscars are also about narratives, and what contenders say about their industry. In that regard, Sinners has a hell of a story to tell.

Let’s start with Coogler, an Oscar nominee for best picture (Judas and the Black Messiah) and best original song (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever). (Black Panther was also nominated for best picture, but Coogler did not produce that film.) Among his generation’s filmmakers, Coogler has a track record that is unmatched, between his critically lauded independent breakout (Fruitvale Station), his brilliant remixes of iconic franchises, and now his first truly original feature. Sinners is a major, sophisticated piece of art that’s both thoughtful and entertaining. Just as fascinating is the deal Coogler negotiated to make the film, which will see him own the rights to the project after 25 years pass; the move generated plenty of debate, but speaks powerfully to Sinners’ exploration of ownership, Black art, and the establishment. The film would be a fitting choice for Coogler’s first best-director nod.

Jordan was always something of a long shot to be nominated for Creed. He came closer to getting his first Oscar nomination after appearing in Black Panther, in which he portrayed Erik Killmonger, one of the great Marvel Cinematic Universe villains. Jordan received a Critics Choice nomination for that performance, as well as numerous other mentions from precursor groups. He ultimately missed out on breaking the Oscars’ curse around comic book movie performances—Angela Bassett later got a nomination for Coogler’s Black Panther sequel, though she did not win—and hasn’t been in the conversation again since. But Jordan is also one of Hollywood’s most proven leading men under 40, with several lively performances under his belt. And his showing in Sinners is arguably his finest work—sexy, scary, and utterly commanding. Oh, and he plays twins. In Jordan’s hands, the idea never turns into a gimmick.

Though she’s one of Sinners’ youngest cast members, Hailee Steinfeld is the only Oscar-nominated actor in the film. She’s terrific, as are the movie’s other female leads; you’ve got standouts in Wunmi Mosaku, who’s admittedly more overdue on the Emmy side—Loki and Lovecraft Country alone!—and Li Jun Li, who managed to make an impression in the star-studded Babylon a few years back. But in addition to talk about Coogler and Jordan, one narrative demands particular attention this season: that of Delroy Lindo.