The film Sinners (2025), directed by Ryan Coogler, is not based on a true story but draws inspiration from real events and historical context of the 1930s Mississippi Delta, particularly the oppressive Jim Crow era and Black cultural history
. One of the main characters, Sammie Moore, is inspired by the legendary blues musician Robert Johnson, known as the "King of the Delta Blues Singers." Johnson's life, music, and the myth that he sold his soul to the Devil at a crossroads to gain musical mastery influenced the character's creation
. While the film incorporates fictional elements such as vampires and supernatural horror, it uses these to explore real themes like systemic racism, ancestral trauma, and the fight for survival and cultural ownership in the segregated South
. The narrative is a blend of drama, action, musical, and southern gothic thriller genres, reflecting both Coogler's personal family history and the broader historical realities faced by Black Americans during that era
. In summary, Sinners is a fictional story inspired by the true historical and cultural backdrop of 1930s Mississippi, with key characters based on real- life figures like Robert Johnson, but the plot itself is not a direct retelling of actual events
