More than six decades after The Twilight Zone concluded, its influence remains a beacon for visionary filmmakers throughout Hollywood. Rod Serling’s groundbreaking anthology, celebrated across five seasons, continues to inspire contemporary storytellers seeking to blend suspense with social commentary. Ryan Coogler Sinners Inspiration draws clearly from this legacy, linking the film’s narrative to classic supernatural themes explored in the series.
Directors like Jordan Peele openly credit Serling as a foundational inspiration. Peele not only revived The Twilight Zone for two seasons on Paramount+ but also echoed its themes in his horror film Us, which channels the eerie atmosphere of the episode Mirror Image. Similarly, David Robert Mitchell’s upcoming movie The End of Oak Street has been compared to a vintage Twilight Zone time travel story, reminiscent of the episode The Odyssey of Flight 33.
How “The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank” Influenced Sinners
Ryan Coogler’s critically acclaimed film Sinners, now holding the record as the most Oscar-nominated feature ever, traces part of its creative roots to a lesser-known but equally captivating episode from season three of The Twilight Zone titled The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank. The episode, penned and directed by Montgomery Pittman, stars James Best as Jeff Myrtlebank, a man who astonishingly rises from the dead during his own funeral, causing unease within his rural community.
In a 2025 interview with SciFi Now, Coogler expressed his deep admiration for The Twilight Zone and highlighted this episode among his primary influences:
“Truthfully, the biggest influences are not in cinema,”
he began, then added,
“The [Stephen King] novel Salem’s Lot is a massive influence on the film. Then there’s a real deep-cut influence. My favorite thing ever made is The Twilight Zone, and my favorite episode is called ‘The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank.’ Salem’s Lot and ‘The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank’ are probably the biggest influences.”
Common Themes of Resurrection and Southern Folklore
Both Sinners and the Twilight Zone episode share supernatural elements set against the American South during the Prohibition era. Jeff Myrtlebank’s eerie revival stirs questions about his true nature, with suspicion falling on him being a haint, a malicious spirit drawn from African American folklore. Similarly, the vampire-like creatures in Sinners are initially thought to be haints before the character Annie, portrayed by Wunmi Mosaku, reclassifies them as vampires.
Diverse Influences Beyond The Twilight Zone
Ryan Coogler has also referenced other cinematic works that shaped Sinners. Among them are genre classics like From Dusk Till Dawn, The Faculty, John Carpenter’s The Thing, and the Coen Brothers’ films such as Fargo and No Country for Old Men. He further cited the musical drama Inside Llewyn Davis and the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? as part of the eclectic mix fueling the movie’s unique tone.
Coogler described the film’s genre identity during the same interview:
“Sinners is a unique one, and it’s kind of genre-bending,”
he said.
“It’s a genre-fluid film. There are vampires in the film, okay, but it’s really about a lot more than just that. It’s one of many elements and I think we’re gonna surprise people with it.”
Anticipation Builds for the 98th Academy Awards
Sinners is contending for an unprecedented 16 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director for Ryan Coogler, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan. The 98th Annual Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, March 15, at 7:00 p.m. ET, broadcast on ABC. As Sinners approaches this high-profile moment, its connection to classic storytelling through the lens of The Twilight Zone enriches its cultural resonance.
For fans of The Twilight Zone, classic episodes continue to air regularly on SYFY, maintaining the show’s legacy for new generations.
