Ryan Coogler’s Sinners: How Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Inspired a Vampire Epic

Joao Nsita
Apr 20
10 min read

On April 18, 2025, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners hit theaters, delivering a bold, blues-infused vampire horror film set in 1932 Mississippi. Starring Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers Smoke and Stack, the film has garnered critical acclaim, boasting a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score and praise for its vibrant cultural tapestry and genre-blending ambition. But among the film’s many inspirations—blues music, the Jim Crow South, and Coogler’s personal family history—one stands out as delightfully unexpected: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, the 2022 animated Shrek spin-off. In interviews, Coogler revealed that the film’s villain, Death (the Wolf), directly influenced the visual and thematic design of Sinners’ vampiric antagonist, Remmick (Jack O’Connell). This 1,800-word article explores how this surprising connection shaped Sinners, delving into the films’ shared elements, Coogler’s creative process, and the broader implications for genre storytelling, followed by a conclusion, 10 FAQs, and a meta description.

The Unlikely Muse: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, directed by Joel Crawford and released in December 2022, was a critical and commercial triumph, earning a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score and over $401 million worldwide. A sequel to 2011’s Puss in Boots, it follows the swashbuckling cat (voiced by Antonio Banderas) as he grapples with mortality after burning through eight of his nine lives. The film’s standout character is Death, a menacing white wolf (voiced by Wagner Moura) who stalks Puss with chilling confidence. With piercing red eyes, twin sickles, and a haunting whistle, Death is both terrifying and emotionally complex, driven by frustration with Puss’s reckless disregard for life.

Ryan Coogler, a self-professed animation enthusiast, was captivated by this character. In a conversation with YouTuber Straw Hat Goofy on the Get Rec’d podcast, Coogler declared Puss in Boots: The Last Wish a “massive” influence on Sinners, specifically citing Death’s “defining features—the eyes, his demeanor” as inspiration for Remmick, the film’s vampiric leader. This revelation, shared widely across platforms like X, sparked intrigue and amusement, with posts marveling at the unlikely pairing: “Ryan Coogler spoiling his own movie with Puss in Boots vibes!” (@SoapCentral). Yet, as Coogler explained, the connection is more profound than it seems, rooted in shared visual motifs, emotional depth, and thematic resonance.

Sinners: A Bluesy Vampire Tale

Set in the segregated South, Sinners follows Smoke and Stack, World War I veterans turned bootleggers, who return to their Mississippi hometown to open a juke joint—a haven for blues music and community. Their plans unravel when they encounter a trio of vampires, led by Remmick, whose supernatural threat disrupts the town’s vibrant cultural scene. The film, Coogler’s first original feature, blends horror, history, and music, with a $100 million budget and a starry cast including Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, Li Jun Li, Miles Caton, and Delroy Lindo. Ludwig Göransson’s blues-heavy score, crafted after a research trip along the Blues Trail, amplifies the film’s emotional and cultural weight.

Coogler has described Sinners as his most autobiographical work, inspired by his late uncle James, a blues enthusiast, and his family’s Mississippi roots. The film explores themes of race, resilience, and the Great Migration, using the juke joint as a symbol of Black cultural vitality amidst Jim Crow oppression. Vampires serve as both literal and metaphorical predators, reflecting societal threats like racism and exploitation. Early reviews, like MovieWeb’s Julian Roman, praise its “brilliant” depiction of Black life and “ruthless” antagonist, with Remmick’s eerie presence drawing particular attention.

The Death-Remmick Connection: Eyes, Demeanor, and Depth

Coogler’s fascination with Death in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish centers on two key elements: visual design and emotional complexity. Death’s glowing red eyes, a striking feature in the animated film, became a blueprint for Remmick’s vampiric appearance. In the Sinners trailer, Remmick’s dark, crimson gaze mirrors Death’s, exuding otherworldly menace. Coogler told Complex, “Think about the villain Death, his defining features—the eyes,” emphasizing how this visual cue amplifies Remmick’s supernatural aura. The red eyes, paired with Jack O’Connell’s chilling performance, make Remmick a formidable foe, echoing Death’s ability to unsettle with a glance.

Beyond aesthetics, Coogler was drawn to Death’s demeanor—calm, confident, and grimly purposeful. Death isn’t a mindless monster; he’s driven by a personal vendetta against Puss’s arrogance, giving him a human layer despite his supernatural nature. Similarly, Remmick’s motivations transcend typical vampire tropes. As ScreenRant notes, “Remmick’s desire for community” adds emotional weight, paralleling Death’s frustration with Puss. Both villains deliver “otherworldly pain” with a casual intensity, their actions rooted in deeper, relatable drives. Coogler’s choice to infuse Remmick with this complexity elevates Sinners beyond standard horror, creating a villain who’s as compelling as he is terrifying.

The influence extended to Sinners’ production process. Coogler collaborated with storyboard artist Louis Gonzales, a Pixar veteran who worked on The Iron Giant and both Black Panther films. Gonzales, who boarded 80% of Sinners, brought an animator’s perspective, likely enhancing the film’s dynamic visuals. Coogler’s nod to animation’s creative freedom, per No Film School, underscores how Puss in Boots’ stylized approach informed Sinners’ bold aesthetic, from its vivid Mississippi landscapes to its kinetic action sequences.

Blues and Animation: Coogler’s Eclectic Inspirations

While Puss in Boots: The Last Wish shaped Remmick, Sinners’ soul lies in its blues-inspired narrative. Coogler’s research with Göransson, including meetings with blues legends, imbued the film with authenticity. The juke joint, a refuge for music and fellowship, mirrors the communal spirit of Coogler’s uncle James, who passed away during Creed’s post-production. Coogler told IndieWire that playing blues records became a “mourning ritual,” conjuring memories of James and inspiring the film’s setting. This personal connection grounds Sinners’ supernatural elements, making its horror resonate emotionally.

The Puss in Boots influence, though surprising, aligns with Coogler’s cinephile sensibility. He’s cited eclectic inspirations before—The Thing for Black Panther’s intensity, Metallica’s “One” for Sinners’ pacing (Vulture). Animation, with its ability to visualize the fantastical, offered Coogler a fresh lens for horror. As he told TheWrap, a scene in Puss in Boots where Puss realizes the Wolf is no ordinary bounty hunter echoed a favorite moment from Salem’s Lot, capturing the dread of encountering the unknown. This cross-pollination of genres—animation informing live-action horror—highlights Coogler’s innovative approach, blending high and low art to craft a unique cinematic experience.

Cultural and Thematic Resonance

Both Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Sinners grapple with mortality and legacy, albeit in different contexts. In Puss in Boots, Death forces Puss to confront his finite lives, leading to a redemptive arc where he values life over bravado. Sinners uses vampires to explore survival in a hostile world, with Smoke and Stack fighting for their community against supernatural and societal threats. Coogler told The Urban Twist that Puss in Boots’ exploration of “mortality and the value of life” resonated, inspiring Sinners’ focus on characters’ choices under pressure. Remmick, like Death, serves as a catalyst, pushing protagonists to reflect on their purpose.

The films also share a vibrant cultural backdrop. Puss in Boots weaves Latin American folklore into its fairy-tale world, with Puss’s swagger and Death’s mythic presence evoking cultural archetypes. Sinners celebrates Black Southern culture, using blues music to bridge past and present, as ScreenRant notes: “Sammie’s songs create a tether between the world of the living and the dead.” Both films use their settings to ground fantastical elements, making their stakes feel personal and universal.

Reception and Impact

Sinners has been hailed as a standout vampire film, with critics praising its “bloody, sexy” energy (ScreenRant) and cultural depth (MovieWeb). Its 99% Rotten Tomatoes score and projected $30-40 million opening weekend (Digital Trends) signal strong audience interest. The Puss in Boots connection, while initially met with humorous skepticism on X (“Coogler single-handedly removed all the horror!” @RorshaxMusic), has deepened appreciation for the film’s creativity. Fans on Reddit’s r/oscarrace speculate about Oscar potential, citing its “realistic panic attack” and innovative storytelling.

The influence of Puss in Boots highlights animation’s growing impact on live-action filmmaking. As Dark Horizons suggests, “More filmmakers should look at animation to find extra inspiration.” Coogler’s willingness to draw from a family-friendly film for a gritty horror epic challenges genre boundaries, encouraging directors to embrace diverse influences. Sinners’ success could inspire similar experiments, proving that inspiration can indeed “come from anywhere” (TheRoot).

Challenges and Future Prospects

Integrating animation-inspired elements into a period horror film wasn’t without risks. Coogler’s initial vision for a “down-and-dirty” Super 16mm shoot evolved into an IMAX epic after a Warner Bros. executive suggested large-format filming (Business Insider). This shift amplified the film’s scope but extended post-production due to limited film labs (TheWrap). The Puss in Boots influence, while effective, drew trolling from some fans who felt it “spoiled” the horror (SoapCentral). Yet, Coogler’s transparent passion for film, evident in his viral aspect-ratio breakdown (Reddit r/videos), has won over skeptics.

While Sinners’ ending is conclusive, a post-credits scene sets up a potential 1990s sequel focusing on characters Stack and Mary (ScreenRant). Coogler, however, told Ebony he designed Sinners as a “holistic and finished thing,” wary of franchise commitments after Creed and Black Panther. Still, the film’s critical and commercial buzz could prompt Warner Bros. to push for more, especially given Coogler’s creative control over the IP.

Conclusion

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is a testament to the power of unexpected inspiration, transforming the animated menace of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’s Death into the haunting vampire Remmick. By blending piercing red eyes, a chilling demeanor, and emotional depth, Coogler crafted a villain who elevates Sinners beyond typical horror, complementing its blues-soaked tribute to Black Southern culture. The film’s 1932 Mississippi setting, anchored by Michael B. Jordan’s dual performance and Ludwig Göransson’s evocative score, resonates with themes of mortality and resilience, echoing Puss in Boots’ own meditation on life’s value. Coogler’s genre-blending vision, informed by animation, family history, and cultural research, has produced a critical darling that challenges cinematic norms. As Sinners captivates audiences, its Puss in Boots connection underscores a broader truth: great storytelling knows no boundaries, drawing from the whimsical to the profound to create something wholly original. Whether you’re a horror aficionado or an animation enthusiast, Sinners is a must-see, proving that even a swashbuckling cat can inspire a vampire epic.

FAQs About Sinners and Its Puss in Boots Inspiration

What is Sinners about?Sinners is a 2025 vampire horror film set in 1932 Mississippi, following twin brothers Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) who open a juke joint only to face a vampiric threat led by Remmick (Jack O’Connell). It blends blues music, history, and supernatural elements.
How did Puss in Boots: The Last Wish influence Sinners?Ryan Coogler drew inspiration from the animated film’s villain, Death, for Sinners’ vampire Remmick, citing his red eyes, menacing demeanor, and emotional complexity as key influences (Complex).
When did Sinners premiere?The film hit theaters on April 18, 2025, released by Warner Bros. with a $100 million budget (Digital Trends).
Who stars in Sinners?The cast includes Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, Li Jun Li, Miles Caton, and Delroy Lindo (Business Insider).
Why did Coogler choose Puss in Boots as an inspiration?Coogler, a fan of animation, admired Death’s visual design and thematic depth, seeing parallels in how both films explore mortality (The Urban Twist). His storyboard artist, Louis Gonzales, also brought animation expertise (Dark Horizons).
What other inspirations shaped Sinners?Coogler drew from blues music, his uncle James, the Great Migration, and films like The Thing and Salem’s Lot. A Metallica song, “One,” influenced its pacing (Vulture, IndieWire).
How has Sinners been received?It holds a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score, with critics praising its cultural depth, music, and Remmick’s villainy. It’s projected to earn $30-40 million opening weekend (ScreenRant, Digital Trends).
Is there a sequel planned for Sinners?A post-credits scene sets up a 1990s sequel, but Coogler designed Sinners as a standalone, wary of franchises. Future plans depend on audience demand (ScreenRant).
How does Sinners use blues music?The film’s juke joint setting and Ludwig Göransson’s score, informed by Blues Trail research, celebrate Black Southern culture, with music as a narrative bridge (TheWrap).
Where can I watch Sinners?Sinners is currently in theaters, available in standard and IMAX formats. Check local listings for showtimes (Business Insider).

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