STACK #249 July 2025

MOVIE FEATURE

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Director Ryan Coogler (Right)

GENRE: Horror RUN TIME: 2h 17m

Ryan Coogler, the award-winning director also known for revitalising the Rocky franchise with Creed , now takes on horror with what he describes as a ‘genre fluid’ rollercoaster ride. SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT: RYAN COOGLER’S SINNERS

S TACK attended a media event ahead of the release of Sinners , a unique vampire film set in 1930s America starring Michael B. Jordan, and marking Coogler’s first foray into horror. “It’s such an important genre in cinema, you know?” he says with excitement. “All of the great filmmakers that I looked up to have all either made their home in the genre permanently or they’ve dabbled in it. So, for me,

I’m working in the same space and just trying to do it in a way that feels natural to my experience and the story I’m trying to tell.” Michael B. Jordan stars in dual roles as twin brothers Smoke and Stack in this period tale. The story follows the brothers as they return to their hometown, seeking refuge from their criminal pasts, only to uncover a sinister evil lurking in the shadows. “The film is very genre fluid. It switches in and out

of a lot of different genres, and yes, vampires are an element of the movie,” Coogler says. Given his strong foundation in drama, it may come as a surprise to some that he is now venturing into the horror genre. “I felt like I was at a point in my life where I did want to try something original,” he reveals. “I realised I had been working on things that were based on pre-existing things – maybe a real-life situation, or a pre-existing

Michael B. Jordan (Centre)

franchise or a pre-existing comic book franchise. So, I felt the itch to want to try." Sinners is a rich infusion of blues music, celtic folk, gothic horror and gangster noir, making it one of the year’s most unique and all-consuming movie

experiences. Glenn Cochrane

• Sinners is out July 23

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SCREAM. DIE. REPEAT THE HORROR OF UNTIL DAWN Video game movies rarely hit the mark, but for Until Dawn , Sony enlisted horror heavyweights David F. Sandberg and Gary Dauberman to get the job done. GENRE: Horror Survival RUN TIME: 1h 43m

• Until Dawn is out July 30

D avid F. Sandberg, known for directing Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation , brings a strong horror pedigree, while Gary Dauberman’s writing credits include It , It Chapter Two , and all three Annabelle films. Sandberg’s experience directing the effects-heavy Shazam! films also position him well to tackle the ambitious demands of Until Dawn . “The great thing about it was that it’s not a straight-up

them one by one. Trapped in a time loop, they’re forced to relive the same deadly night, again and again. To escape, they must break the cycle. Yes, it’s a Groundhog Day -style scenario – just like the video game. The beauty of this adaptation is that all the special effects are created practically and captured in-camera, with only minimal CGI used for subtle augmentation. “There was no pushback,” Dauberman explains when asked if the idea of doing all of the special effects raised any concerns, especially given that video games are inherently CGI. “I think for horror movies in particular, most fans like practical effects,” Sandberg adds. “It’s important to stay true to that rather than making an animation.” Glenn Cochrane

of course, to make something that people who hadn’t played the game could enjoy as well. But we do tie it together with certain characters and things in there.” A group of friends

adaptation,” says Sandberg, when he and Dauberman sat down to chat with STACK . “It’s like another instalment, or a part of a bigger story, so that took some of the pressure off because I think it would

[L-R] Writer Gary Dauberman and director David F. Sandberg

searching for a missing sister ends up at an abandoned lodge, where a masked killer hunts

have been very hard to do the game justice in condensed movie form. It was very important,

ONCE YOU’VE SEEN IT, PLAY IT!

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12 JULY 2025

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