“Sinners,” a film directed by Ryan Coogler, is set to open in cinemas on April 19. 

Coogler, who also helmed  “Creed” and “Black Panther,” said his earliest memories of movies were “while sitting in a darkened room, full of strangers, and being absolutely terrified by something that was happening on the screen,” 

“That feeling of being with others, the unison, the horror and delight made me feel like home. That’s where it began for me…” he said. 

With his new movie “Sinners,” Coogler hopes that movie audiences will have that same unforgettable experience. 

Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler on the set of “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Michael B. Jordan in “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Starring Michael B. Jordan in his fifth collaboration with Coogler, “Sinners” tells the story of twin brothers Smoke and Stack, who return to their hometown to start again after having lived troubled lives, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

“‘Sinners’ is so many things. It has so many layers to it. I want people to take away everything that we intended to shoot and make and create. It’s a fun experience,” said Jordan. 

He added, “I want them to have fun, but I also want them to think as well. On the ride home, or in the shower, or at home with their family, I want them to still be thinking about the movie and the characters, and spark conversations. That’s what I love about movies – they just make people think differently and get to know things, spaces and places that they might not have been in contact with before. But also, to have fun being a little scared. I really want them to enjoy the music… I want people to feel the musical element in their bones.”

Ahead of its opening, “Sinners” has impressed critics and currently has a 99 percent Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

In its review, The Hollywood Reporter writes that “Sinners” is “smart horror, even poetic at times, with much to say about race and spiritual freedom… It’s also an exactingly crafted movie that demands to be seen on the biggest possible screen, with the loudest sound system.”

“‘Sinners’ is my love letter to all of the things that I love about going to the movies, as a cinephile, especially watching films with an audience,” said Coogler. “It’s the communal experience – and this movie was made to be seen with a crowd of people you don’t know.”