Ryan Coogler Says He Cast Twins in ‘Sinners’ Despite ‘Fear of Doppelgangers’

Ryan Coogler has revealed that one of the most striking creative choices in his film Sinners came from confronting a deep personal fear. The director admitted to writing twin characters into the film despite having what he described as an “abnormal fear of doppelgangers”, a phobia he says has followed him for years.

Speaking about the decision, Coogler explained that the idea immediately grabbed him as a storyteller, even though it upset him on a personal level. “Sure, I mean, look, it was a hook for me. It was so sticky, right?” he said. “In this day and age, I think you need a lot of reasons to support when there are so many great things available.”

Coogler has admitted that the concept of identical twins bothers him deeply, calling it “a straight phobia”. However, inspiration also came from real life. “It’s a hook for me because I have twins in my family and I love them, and I have a lot of homes as twins,” she said.

When asked if his fear was connected to the idea of ​​meeting his own lookalike, Coogler didn’t hesitate. “Yes,” he said. “I’ve had such nightmares.”

The twins in Sinners are played by Michael B. Jordan, who takes on the dual roles of brothers Smoke and Stack. To ensure the relationship was authentic and emotionally grounded, Coogler said he brought in directors Noah and Logan Miller as consultants.

“I actually asked them if they would be open to being a consultant on the film, would they like to work with me and Mike on the development of the characters,” he said. “And we dug so deep into the mindset and the dynamics of what it’s like to basically have a copy of yourself next to you all the time.”

In the film, the brothers return to their hometown in Mississippi and encounter a darkness far greater than they expected. Sinners has since emerged as a major awards contender, picking up multiple Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice wins and standing out for its blend of psychological horror and emotional depth.

Coogler directed a few short films at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts before making his feature debut with Fruitvale Station (2013).

He then moved on to direct and write franchise films such as the Rocky series spinoff Creed (2015), as well as the Marvel films Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). Coogler also produced the historical drama Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) and the supernatural horror film Sinners (2025), which he also wrote and directed.