Summary
Director Ryan Coogler has managed to breathe new life into the vampire genre, which is an ironic statement when talking about the undead. Nevertheless, his new film,Sinners, is a box office smash, having pulled in hundreds of millions of dollars against a budget of $90 million.
Sinners, which only dropped 6 percent at the box office during its second weekend, has demonstrated it has massive staying power and will be yet another feather in Coogler’s cap. It’s also received high marks from both critics and audiences, a hard feat to accomplish in the modern world of cinema.
More than anything, however, Coogler’s new hit proves that while the road of vampire storytelling is well trodden, there are still new paths venturing in unforeseen directions for those willing to take risks and explore. In other words, the vampire flick isn’t ready to have the last nail driven in its coffin just yet.
Here are some ways that other filmmakers can take a cue from Coogler and make vampire movies great again.
Hollywood Should Embrace The Genuine Horror Of Living Forever
Over the last several decades, the world has witnessed the romanticization of the vampire, removing it far from its roots in the horror genre. Movies likeTwilightand shows likeThe Vampire Diarieshave made these bloodsucking murderers of the night into anti-heroes, stripping them of anything that makes them scary. Vampires are now fantasy creatures, not monsters.
The success ofSinnersis a testimony to the fact that modern audiences are ready for a darker, more sinister, existential portrayal of the creatures of the night. New filmmakers can take advantage of this by exploring how living for eternity can take a serious mental toll on a person.
Future films could delve deep into the decay a vampire experiences, not physically, but mentally, due to living for centuries. When faced with the prospect of living forever, many people would jump at the chance. Nobody wants to die. However, those willing to accept this gift don’t see that it’s a curse in disguise.
A movie like this could explore themes like loneliness, insanity, moral rot, and loss of identity. Everyone a vampire loves or cares for will die. They will outlive them all. And that process will repeat over and over again forever. How much loss can the mind take before it breaks because of grief?
If they choose to forego relationships with other humans, they will still suffer loneliness and eventually go mad. Soon, right and wrong no longer matter. The streets run with blood.
Explorations like this will transform the vampire flick fromteen romance to psychological horror.
Hollywood Writers Could Figure Out How To Blend Technology With Vampirism
Coogler’sSinnershinted at blending the old folklore and legends of the vampire with modern visuals, allowing the mythology to be brought into the world of today and explore technology-driven horror. This is a concept that is bursting with cool ideas that can make these creatures scary again.
What if vampires utilized artificial intelligence to help them hunt down their victims? Or using it to create deepfakes that could conceal their actual identities, allowing them to somewhat blend in with humanity?
Maybe they could develop some form of biotech that enables them to walk in sunlight? A talented writer could flesh outthe concept of artificial intelligencethat’s embodied having an identity crisis, believing it’s a vampire, and going on a bloody rampage as it attempts to call upon the devil to conjure a demonic entity to embody it and make it real?
All these ideas help modernize the genre, and what better way to do that than by mixing gothic horror with cyberpunk?
The Smart Move Is To Step Outside The American Comfort Zone And Globalize The Vampire Story
Vampiric myths originated in Europe, and it’s time that modern vampire stories returned to their roots across the pond. And filmmakers can take this beyond Europe, especially since similar creatures have been found in the lore of nations all over the globe.
Horror fans haven’t seen much in the way of vampire films and series based on the Aswang of the Philippines. Or the Jiangshi from China, also known as the “hopping vampire.” Maybe someone could make a movie with more of an island vibe by tackling the Loogaroo of the Caribbean?
Doing stories from other parts of the world opens the door for more diverse casting and exposes foreign audiences to a particular country’s culture through its folklore. Using film is a great way to help educate the masses about a culture or people group, while also highlighting our sameness, thanks to the shared fears humans have.
As new viewing audiences develop a bloodlust for new,fresh takes on vampire movieslikeSinners, directors are given a chance to bring the genre back from the dead. Peeling away the glitter and fully embracing its darkness by fusing ancient myth and terror with modern anxieties, Hollywood can bring the vampire movie to a whole new generation.
