Michael B. Jordan as Smoke and Stack in Sinners
With Sinners recently breaking the record for most nominated film in Oscar history, the passion for Ryan Coogler's masterful action horror has resurfaced in a major way. The film follows twin brothers Stack and Smoke as they return to their hometown in the Jim Crow South, only to be confronted with a vampire outrage who proves that it is possible to blend genres and use mysticism to tackle racism and cultural appropriation.
It's hard to find other projects that are as ambitious as this one is, using vampire lore to offer deeper commentary, but there are other onscreen productions that have similar elements featured in Sinners. The list below has a few recommendations that might not be similar to Coogler's genre-bending film, but still manage to discuss themes like faith, pursuit of power, and search for identity, while still incorporating culture and history. From Interview with the Vampire to True Blood, here are a few series to check out if you are in search of more gory, vampire-led stories. 1 'The Originals' In The Originals, The Vampire Diaries' spin-off series, Klaus , Rebecca , and Elijah Mikaelson return to New Orleans, a city that they helped build, only to see that they are no longer welcome there. With Marcel , Klaus' former protégé, taking over town and holding a grudge against the Mikaelsons, the three original vampires struggle to reclaim power. Much like Sinners, The Originals focuses on themes like family loyalty and complex historical backgrounds. Its New Orleans setting allows for the dispute amongst supernatural creatures to be more layered, much like tensions that arise in Coogler's film, which takes place in Mississippi during the 1930s and incorporates American folklore from the south. Throughout the series, Klaus, Rebecca, and Elijah go through various ups and downs, but they still find ways to protect each other and put their family first. 2 'Interview with the Vampire' AMC's adaptation of Interview With the Vampire dives deeper into Louis de Point du Lac's complicated feelings over his immortality, as the character recounts his transformation and long-standing relationship with Lestat de Lioncourt to a journalist in Dubai. This series is also set in New Orleans, and it shows Louis as he stands face to face with death and is given a tempting proposition from Lestat to become a vampire and remain alive forever. He takes on the offer, only to regret it later. As he and Lestat engage in a tumultuous romance, they also deal with Claudia , an immortal teenager who struggles with her unnatural existence. Similarly to Sinners, Interview With the Vampire also uses the vampire genre to tackle Black history, with characters grappling with racism and identity. Music is also at the core of both productions, with Interview With the Vampire using jazz and orchestral arrangements to set the tone for the timeframe the story is taking and character motifs. Although the series isn't action-packed like Sinners, Louis and Lestat's toxic bond will keep you invested through and through. 3 'Midnight Mass' Sinners has religious undertones, with Sammie having to decide on whether to pursue his love for blues music or focus on his role within the church as the preacher's son. Midnight Mass is a horror series that encompasses both religion and supernatural elements. Created by Mike Flanagan, this Netflix original follows Riley Flynn , who returns to his hometown after serving four years in prison in the hopes of rebuilding his life. Upon arrival, he finds out that there is a new, charismatic priest named Father Paul that is inspiring the townsfolk to restore their faith through miraculous events. The series shows how these miracles bring both healing and horror, especially once a vampiric creature is welcomed into the community, which Father Paul wrongfully suggests is an angel. Midnight Mass is a perfect companion piece to Sinners because it blends vampire lore with religious guilt, exploring themes like moral decay and false salvation. Flanagan's show also takes the time to build tension before the horror elements take over towards the latter portion of the story, much like Coogler's film saves the battle between humans and vampires towards the end. 4 'True Blood' HBO's hit vampire drama, True Blood, might be ideal for those who enjoyed the more supernatural aspects of Sinners, as opposed to its layered commentary on race and cultural appropriation. The series focuses on a telepathic waitress named Sookie Stackhouse , who falls in love with a 174-year-old vampire named Bill Compton . Set two years after the invention of"synthetic blood", which allows several vampires to go free. All these creatures are made known to humankind, they aren't exactly embraced by society, as several anti-vampire organizations emerge. Sookie's attraction to Bill pulls her into a dangerous, supernatural world, where shapeshifters, werewolves, fairies, and witches exist. Jack O'Connell's Remmick deceives several characters in Sinners and turns them into ruthless vampires like himself, and the vampires in True Blood are equally predatory and deceptive. The series also leans into the gore in a way that matches Sinners' high-octane, over-the-top third act. 5 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Buffy the Vampire Slayer might have more of a YA appeal, but it does focus on characters trying to protect their loved ones from the supernatural creatures invading their hometown. Buffy Summers is a slayer, meaning that she must uphold her duties to protect Sunnydale from the vampires, demons, and dark supernatural forces that arrive in town. She does this while still trying to maintain somewhat of a normal life, attending school and then college alongside her best friends Willow and Xander . In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the vampire lore is predominantly used as a metaphor for teenage anxieties, and the series has an overlying theme about found family. Although it isn't a period drama like Sinners, it does still focus on the emotional stakes that the characters face while trying to survive and care for those they love. Buffy is constantly reminded that she isn't just a normal girl, and that her family, friends, and community depend on her, becoming a hero audiences can't help but root for. 6 'The Strain' Created by Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro, The Strain is a horror series centered on Dr. Ephraim Goodweather , a CDC agent who is called to investigate a mysterious plane landing, where all the passengers are found dead. He and his team then discover that there is a vampiric strain spreading throughout New York City, leaving the protagonist and other civilians in charge of protecting humanity from monsters and a vampiric entity known as"The Master". Subscribe to the newsletter for more vampire and horror picks Discover more vampire-led shows and genre-deep dives—subscribe to the newsletter for curated recommendations and thoughtful analysis of faith, identity, and cultural context across horror and genre-bending TV and film. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Their fight for survival is similar to what happens in Sinners, when the vampires invade the bar. Much like the blood-sucking creatures in Sinners aren't romanticized, The Strain also portrays vampires as parasitic monsters. The series is also visceral and gory, filled with suspense and action as the battle between humans and dark supernatural forces ensues. 7 'Penny Dreadful' A period thriller set in the Victorian era, Penny Dreadful incorporates several characters from gothic literature like Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, and Dorian Gray, placing them all in the same world. The first season follows explorer Sir Malcolm Murray , American gunslinger Ethan Chandler , scientist Victor Frankenstein , and medium Vanessa Ives as they team up to retrieve Murray's daughter from a mysterious creature. Together, they also end up combating other supernatural threats in London during the 1890s. The series might not have the same historical backdrop as Sinners, but it does explore themes like faith and inner torment. Given that it is a psychological thriller, Penny Dreadful focuses on the emotional toll that the characters experience while facing the dark forces in their midst, as opposed to emphasizing jump scares. The series is also true to the bleak atmosphere tied to its period setting, allowing for an extra layer of horror and gore. With captivating performances and masterful storytelling, Penny Dreaful will keep you invested just as much as Sinners was able to weave several themes and genres to orchestrate a truly worthwhile cinematic venture. Like Follow Followed Penny Dreadful Horror Drama Release Date 2014 - 2016-00-00 Network Showtime Showrunner John Logan Directors John Logan Cast See All Writers John Logan Seasons 3 Story By John Logan Streaming Service Hulu, Netflix, Prime Video, Paramount Plus Powered by Expand Collapse
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