Additional Coverage:
“Sinners” Bites into Blues History with Surprise Cameo
Spoiler alert! This article discusses plot points and the ending of “Sinners,” now in theaters.
Ryan Coogler’s horror film “Sinners” has a strong blues influence, so it’s fitting that a music icon makes a surprise appearance. Blues legend Buddy Guy plays the older version of a key character in the 1930s-set film.
The casting held special significance for Coogler, inspired by his blues-loving uncle who saw Guy perform over 50 times. Filming a post-credits scene set in 1992, star Michael B.
Jordan hugged Guy, leading to an emotional moment for Coogler. He realized he’d unknowingly dressed Guy like his uncle, connecting the film to a deeply personal level.
“Sinners” follows gangster twins Smoke and Stack (both played by Jordan) who open a juke joint in Mississippi, recruiting their guitar-playing cousin Sammie (Miles Caton in the ’30s, Buddy Guy in the ’90s). The opening night celebration takes a dark turn when Irish vampire Remmick (Jack O’Connell) crashes the party, turning guests into vampires.
The film’s climax sees Smoke battling to survive as loved ones are turned into vampires. He’s forced to stake his bitten girlfriend Annie (Wunmi Mosaku), and ultimately confronts his own brother, Stack, who has also been turned. Sammie escapes the carnage, while Smoke and Sammie defeat Remmick as dawn breaks.
The fight isn’t over, however. The twins were lured to the juke joint by a KKK leader, who planned to ambush the survivors.
Though mortally wounded, Smoke single-handedly takes down the Klan members before being reunited with Annie and their deceased child in a poignant final moment. Coogler explains this ending reflects Smoke’s identity as a soldier and killer, a tragic but fitting conclusion to his character arc.
“Sinners” features two post-credit scenes. One shows young Sammie singing “This Little Light of Mine” at his father’s church.
The other, more substantial scene, jumps to 1992, where an older Sammie is surprised by Stack and Mary, still vampires, in his club. Stack reveals he honored Smoke’s wish to let Sammie live, sharing a final embrace with his cousin.
Jordan believes this moment demonstrates Stack’s lingering connection to his human past. He also notes Stack’s likely enjoyment of hearing Sammie play again, a reminder of a time before he became a vampire.