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'Horror movie of the year' director explains why the film is full of Irish music

Just a few days ago, the gothic horror film Sinners premiered in cinemas, and fans of the genre are already dubbing it the horror movie of the year. However, one aspect of it has viewers feeling puzzled. The movie, starring Michael B Jordan and Jack O'Connell, seems to be full of traditional Irish music - an addition that feels slightly out of place. The opening scene shows a rural Mississippi town, where the opening night of a juke joint is interrupted by none other than a trio of traditional Irish music-playing and jig-dancing vampires. As confusing as it may seem, filmmaker Ryan Coogler had a pretty simple explanation - he's actually just a fan of Irish music. He appeared on an episode of the Filmmaker Toolkit podcast and shared where the choice came from. Read More Related Articles Donald Trump branded 'dumbest President ever' after six-word comment about Congo Read More Related Articles Deranged Trump posts mad 184-word Easter message taking aim at all his enemies Coogler said: 'I'm obsessed with Irish folk music, my kids are obsessed with it, my first name is Irish. I think it's not known how much crossover there is between African American culture and Irish culture, and how much that stuff is loved in our community.' In the movie, the vampires' most powerful weapon is the allure of their music, which, according to Coogler, needed to be good enough to rival the blues music coming from the juke joint. And so, he chose Irish music. Filmmaker Ryan Coogler said he is "obsessed" with Irish folk music (Image: Copyright (c) 2025 Shutterstock. No use without permission.) Jack O'Connell plays Remmick, the lead vampire, in the film. Coogler said it was important for the character to feel old, like he had come from a time long before the one we see on screen. According to Coogler, using traditional music gives Remmick a timelessness. In his speech at Smoke and Stack's club, the vampire recalls Ireland's first colonization, making him hundreds of years old. This also helps set him apart from the white American community that terrorizes the black characters in the film. Folk music helps draw a connection between the two cultures, showing they are more alike than different. In an interview during press for the film, Jack O'Connell shared that it wasn't his first experience with Irish dancing. He actually used to go to lessons as a child, joking that his nickname was "jumping jack.' O'Connell, whose dad hails from Co Kerry , said he was surprised to see the Irish influence in the script when he first read it. He said, 'I had my talking points, I had stuff that I wanted to ask, so the conversation was kind of dominated by that: What is Rocky Road to Dublin doing in this story? Will I really be singing it? Do you like Irish traditional music? I'll talk to anyone all day about Luke Kelly and the Dubliners.' For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .