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Sinners · written by Ryan Coogler · 2025
Scene 3 of 110 · ≈ 3 min on screen · Act one
In 1932 Mississippi, gifted sharecropper-bluesman Sammie Moore wants to make a life in the blues beyond his preacher father's rules, but the opening night of his cousins' juke joint becomes a siege by a vampire offering the community belonging at the price of its freedom.
JOAN (20s, White) places a bowl down in front of BERT (late 20s, White) who is seated at a table, picking at his guitar and humming a tune (PICK POOR ROBIN CLEAN).
Watching her suspiciously, Bert sniffs it, makes a face.
Joan notices, and raises her bowl to her mouth, slurps the liquid in and swallows-- its not great.
JOAN
Go on...
Bert stares at the bowl for a beat, then pushes it away.
BERT
I reckon I wont.
JOAN
Come on, Bert.
BERT
I can’t see how this is gonna
help.
JOAN
Its supposed to increase you
know... your count.
BERT
That’s hogwash...
JOAN
Aunt Comfort swears by it. Had
eight babies, all healthy.
BERT
Healthy?! Joan every last one of
her kids is as nutty as squirrel
shit.
Joan smiles offense at the slight.
JOAN
You know you got some nerve--
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! The front door rattles on its hinges. Joan and Bert exchange confused looks.
Bert holds his finger to his lips “Shh” and then moves to an unseen wall of the room where a RIFLE and a SHOTGUN sit propped next to a folded KU KLUX KLAN uni form. He hands the rifle to Joan and carries the shotgun with him to the door.
Bert opens it, revealing the INJURED MAN. Who is burned and bleeding. He looks like he’s been tortured.
BERT
Back up.
INJURED MAN
You gotta help. I thought I could
trust em, but they’re trying to
kill me.
BERT
Slow down.
Bert looks beyond the man at the horizon. The top third of the sun still visible, but shadows are grow ing long.
JOAN
Who’s trying to kill you?
INJURED MAN
Choctaw. They was brutal.
BERT
Injuns?
(beat)
Where you from?
INJURED MAN
North Carolina.
BERT
You sure it wasn’t just some fair
skinned niggers? Ain't no Injuns
round here for miles.
INJURED MAN
We was traveling looking for a
place of respite. And they, took
my wife. - oh God, Siobhan. I’m a
coward...
He begins to cry.
JOAN
Jesus Christ, Bert.
The Injured Man looks inside and notices the KKK regalia. He looks to Bert again.
INJURED MAN
I got gold. Them dirty Injuns
meant to rob me, but they ain’t
get all of it. Ya’ll can have it,
just don’t let them hurt me no
He reaches int o his pocket, revealing a gold coin.
Bert’s eyebrows raise at the sight of the money. He looks at Joan for a quick beat, before lowering his shotgun.
BERT
Come on...
The Injured Man’s eyes water with gratitude as he enters.
JOAN
Set him up in the nursery.
Bert nods and leads the Injured Man to the back of the house. Joan approaches the door and looks through the window.
WINDOW POV
In the distance we see a CHOCTAW SEARCH PARTY traveling via FORD MODEL T with two HORSES flanking, riders on their backs.