Ryan Coogler Reveals Disney Channel Movie Inspired Sinners’ Irish Vampire

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Despite being a scary, R-rated horror film, director and writer Ryan Coogler has shared that his movie Sinners was partially inspired by the Disney Channel. Sinners was a huge hit with both critics and audiences, earning a 97% rating from critics and a 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. It also grossed $367 million globally, making it one of the most successful horror movies ever made.

During a discussion about Sinners at Deadline‘s Contenders Film event, Ryan Coogler revealed that the character of Remmick, an Irish vampire played by Jack O’Connell, was inspired by the Disney Channel movie The Luck of the Irish. Coogler said watching the 2001 film helped him recognize similarities between Irish and Black cultures, particularly in their musical traditions, and it served as an important reference point while creating Sinners. You can find his full remarks below.

That film was how we first noticed the connections between Irish folk music and our own. There was a small Irish community nearby, and we often discussed these similarities. It surprisingly became a starting point for our family’s long-standing interest in Irish culture.

When someone in the audience mentioned working on The Luck of the Irish, Ryan Coogler responded with a blessing and shared that the film has a dedicated fanbase in his hometown of Oakland, California, recalling that he and others used to watch it often.

Okay, so “Luck of the Irish” is a fun movie about Kyle, a high school basketball player who discovers his family has a secret – and it’s connected to a really mischievous leprechaun named Seamus! Basically, Kyle needs to recover a stolen gold coin, or his whole family is going to be turned into leprechauns with seriously bad luck. It’s a cool mix of sports and fantasy, and they really lean into the Irish side of things with the music and even some dancing, which I thought was a nice touch.

This idea helped shape the character of Remmick in Sinners, a vampire who shares Irish music and dance as part of his background. During a discussion, director Coogler highly commended Jack O’Connell’s performance, calling it “beautiful” and noting how O’Connell, like himself, drew on family memories – O’Connell of his father, and Coogler of his uncle – to inform the role. Coogler described watching O’Connell connect with the film on such a personal level as a deeply meaningful experience.

Ryan Coogler shared that, in addition to Disney Channel Original Movies, the author of Dracula, Bram Stoker—who was Irish—inspired his film Sinners. He also emphasized that the character Remmick was intentionally designed as someone who existed before Ireland was colonized.

I thought the film was a fantastic project, and honestly, a real tribute to Bram Stoker. As an Irish writer, he basically laid the groundwork for how we think about vampires today. It felt right to really delve into that original vision with the character.

Remmick wasn’t a villain, but we portrayed him as an Irishman with a long and mysterious history, revealing pieces of his past gradually.

It’s not surprising that Bram Stoker’s Dracula influenced Sinners, as it’s a cornerstone of horror and how vampires are portrayed in stories. However, The Luck of the Irish, a Disney Channel Original Movie with a 53% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, was a more unexpected, yet equally important, influence – particularly in shaping the character of Remmick.

Many believe John O’Connell deserves consideration for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar thanks to his powerful performance in Ryan Coogler’s film. The fact that Irish folklore inspired the horror movie could gain even more attention if O’Connell is nominated – or even wins – for his work in Sinners.

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2025-11-19 02:28