‘Sinners' producers on shooting Ryan Coogler feature in New Orleans

Producers on Ryan Coogler’s Sinners said shooting the director’s vampire feature in New Orleans “could not have been more difficult” thanks to the extreme weather.

Producer Sev Ohanian spoke to Screen at the European premiere last night (April 15) and explained why the Louisiana city was chosen.  

“There's only a couple of places in America that could actually work,” Ohanian said of the Warner Bros feature which stars Michael B Jordan as twins who return home to Mississippi during the 1930s.

“New Orleans just happened to be a really great space, because the crew base is amazing, It had the facilities that we needed. We felt like we could really pull it off there.”

Producer Rebecca Cho added that New Orleans' extreme weather made for several delays during the shoot last summer. 

“It was not easy. The weather made it really difficult,” she said. “New Orleans is known for its rain and its lightning. I think one of the most challenging days was when we shot the big dance sequence outdoors, and we were battling weather all through the night shoot We didn't know if we would pull it off.”

Li Jun Li, who stars in the film, also reflected on the intense shoot. “It was hot, it was humid, and it was full of bugs,” she told Screen. “We kept each other alive and invigorated because we really, truly had the best group of people.”

Coogler also produced Sinners via his production company Proximity Media alongside Zinzi Coogler. Warner Bros has global distribution.

Various production services were provided by US-based Skywalker Sound, UK-based Outpost VFX, and Australia-based Rising Sun Pictures, among others.