There’s something almost sacred about the first movie that truly changes you. It doesn't have to necessarily be the first one you see in a theater either. We're talking about the first film that makes you feel something so big, so overwhelming, that you don’t even have the words for it yet.
For one beloved star of The Walking Dead, that moment happened when she was just five years old, sitting in a dark theater watching E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Now, she says she has felt that same kind of magic again decades later, and it’s all thanks to a film that has left her utterly spellbound. It's none other than the 2025 Oscar-nominated movie, Sinners, directed and written by Ryan Coogler. In the guest column section of The Hollywood Reporter, Danai Gurira opened up about seeing the hit horror film for the first time and shared how deeply she was moved by it.
Walking Dead fans know Gurira best for her iconic role as Michonne, the fiercely independent, katana-wielding survivor whose courage and complexity made her one of the series’ most memorable characters. But beyond the world of zombies and survival, Gurira revealed that seeing Sinners for the first time awakened something entirely different in her.
She mentioned how watching the horror flick gave her the same kind of emotional intensity she felt as a child watching E.T. This is something she hadn't felt since then. Unlike Black Panther, which she worked on and couldn’t experience as a pure audience member, she explained that Sinners allowed her to surrender fully to the film and experience it as intended.
"I didn’t get to have the experience many say they had when Black Panther was released, because I was in it. I knew we were making something special; I knew Ryan was brilliant. I knew it would be something we would be proud of, but you cannot anticipate that type of response. I was amazed by its impact here in the US, in Africa, and in the world, but I never got to encounter it as intended. As an audience member, in the dark, surrendering. That’s what Sinners gave me."
With this horror film, Gurira also explained how she was able to appreciate the craftsmanship behind it as an experienced artist. She shared how she was completely absorbed by the story, music, cinematography, and characters while watching it.
"I realized that I had never been affected by the various elements that make up a story the way I was watching this film. I had never been swept into a world by the sound that engulfed me, the cinematography that fed me, the sharply drawn characters that filled me with a myriad of complex emotions, the narrative that caused me to lean in, riveted by what could possibly happen next. It was utterly singular."
She also praised Coogler for his courage and creativity, pointing out that originality is rare in filmmaking today. But while many would try to label Sinners, Gurira doesn't believe the movie fits neatly into one genre like “horror” or “musical." She thinks it's unique, blending themes of vampirism, music, racism, love, and coming-of-age into a story that is impossible to categorize.
Another aspect Gurira said she really enjoyed about Sinners is the way it made people think deeply, discuss it with others, and even reflect on themselves. It provoked intellectual and emotional engagement rather than passive consumption. This is something she said very few modern films manage to do nowadays.
"And it did that thing that very few films do anymore. In an era where we have “seen it all.” It sparked conversation. Original thought. Passionate arguments and self-investigation. It caused reflection and a deeper belief in what can be achieved when we defy the norms and follow our true selves. It brought something back to life in our cultural energy, stripping away our jadedness, replenishing something we did not even realize we’d lost."
Ultimately, Gurira enjoyed Sinners so much that she went back to see it more than once, feeling that there was simply too much to absorb in a single viewing. She even described one trip to IMAX, where the theater was packed, and how she was completely consumed by the film’s world. She felt herself fully immersed, swept up in the emotions and atmosphere, and connected with other audience members who were just as equally captivated.
"I watched it, even more consumed by the experience, some moments, like that iconic scene in the Juke Joint, truly feeling like we were engulfed in the rivers of fire streaming across the screen. After the film, we all applauded and then sat, collectively glued to our seats, unable to let go of that shared feeling still washing over us, that feeling of a great story that we wished we could immediately watch again for the first time."
Honestly, I personally can see why Gurira was so moved by this film. I saw Sinners when it first hit theaters in April 2025, and watched it several times more after purchasing it on Blu-ray. Each viewing felt like discovering something new because I'd notice details I hadn’t caught before. But what's so interesting about this movie is that while it does entertain you, it also moves you on multiple levels. You're left thinking, feeling, and questioning long after the credits hit.
Sure, sometimes you just want a good laugh or an easy story to pass the time. But other times, you want to be completely swept away. You want to be immersed in a story that challenges you, excites you, and leaves a lasting impression. Sinners is easily one of those rare films that does all of that and more!
Sinners is available to stream on HBO Max right now.