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 that he wrote twin characters into the movie despite having what he described as a “crippling 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 unsettled him on a personal level. “For 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 multiple reasons to lean in when there’s so many great things available.”

Coogler acknowledged that the concept of identical doubles deeply disturbs him, calling it “a straight phobia.” Still, the 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 got a lot of homies as twins,” he said.

When asked if his fear was tied to the idea of encountering his own look-alike, Coogler didn’t hesitate. “Yeah,” he said. “I’ve had nightmares like that.”

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 felt authentic and emotionally grounded, Coogler said he brought in filmmakers Noah and Logan Miller as consultants.

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

In the film, the brothers return to their Mississippi hometown and encounter a darkness far greater than they anticipated. Sinners has since emerged as a major awards contender, earning 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 the USC School of Cinematic Arts before his feature-length debut with Fruitvale Station (2013).

Then he transitioned to directing and writing 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.