Christopher Nolan Gave Ryan Coogler Advice Before Making Sinners

Before making Sinners, Ryan Coogler received some valuable advice from Christopher Nolan. During a Q&A event attended by ComicBook.com and other outlets, the director talked a bit about shooting Sinners on 65mm film, which he called “an incredible experience.” Utilizing the format led Coogler to have conversations with the Oscar-winning helmsman. “I got advice from Christopher Nolan and [Nolan’s wife and producing partner] Emma Thomas, who are masters of the form. It was our first time working with large-format photography,” he said. “We were doing something that hasn’t been done before, combining Ultra Panavision, which is 2.76:1, very wide, with the full frame IMAX film.”

Coogler touched on his inspiration for making Sinners on such a large canvas, citing his admiration of the big screen. “It’s my love letter to the theatrical experience, of watching an exhilarating movie in a packed house full of strangers, not knowing what’s going to happen next,” he said. “So many incredible films have given me that feeling, and so I wanted to try my hand at giving it back to the audience.”

Dating back to The Dark Knight in 2008, Nolan’s work has been synonymous with the IMAX format. He is currently gearing up to film his adaptation of The Odyssey, putting together a star-studded ensemble that includes Tom Holland, Matt Damon, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, and more. Set to begin production in March, The Odyssey will be another Nolan-directed tentpole that makes use of IMAX cameras. The fantasy epic hits theaters in 2026.

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Sinners, which opens on April 18th, is Coogler’s first film since 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It reunites the director with frequent collaborator Michael B. Jordan, who takes on dual roles of twin brothers. Warner Bros. recently released a new Sinners trailer, shedding light on the movie’s horror-infused story. The plot follows siblings Elijah and Elias (Jordan) as vampires wreck havoc across their hometown.

With two Black Panther films under his belt, Coogler is no stranger to big-screen spectacle, but it sounds like he was really trying to push himself from a technical perspective on Sinners. Fueled by the excitement of crafting an original world, his goal was to make Sinners as immersive as possible to draw viewers in. Given Nolan’s history with IMAX, there’s arguably nobody better Coogler could have gone to. Nolan’s films are conceived with the big screen in mind, renowned for their elaborate set pieces and stunning visuals. Whether he’s helming a comic book adaptation or a World War II drama, Nolan always goes the extra mile behind-the-camera, and it’s paid off in spades — as his box office grosses and Oscar wins illustrate.

Sinners was already one of 2025’s most intriguing films thanks to Coogler’s track record as one of his era’s premier directors. In addition to weaving a compelling narrative, it’s also going to be a treat for the eyes. The Sinners trailers have offered a taste of what’s in store, highlighting Autumn Durold’s striking cinematography and Coogler’s ambitious vision. Just based on the early looks we’ve gotten, Coogler has definitely heeded Nolan’s advice, and it should be fun to experience the full scope of Sinners later this year.