Community leaders and officials in Clarksdale, Mississippi, where Ryan Coogler’s film “Sinners” is set, are in preliminary talks to partner with studio executives to bring a public screening to the town that has no active movie theater.
The update comes after local activist Tyler Yarbrough penned an open letter to Coogler, actor Michael B. Jordan and the rest of the cast to visit his hometown, which made national headlines last week. Capital B News first reported the story.
Yarbrough, 26, confirmed with USA TODAY on May 6 that he and Clarksdale Mayor Chuck Espy have had several discussions with top executives at Warner Bros. to bring a potential screening to the area in the near future, but there are no concrete plans at the moment.
“Nothing is set in stone, not even a date or location,” he said, adding that they are in the conversation stages despite reports. “I want us to co-create something with Warner Bros., that feels authentic, feels good for them and our community.”
Warner Bros. did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
Previously: Mississippi city where ‘Sinners’ is set has no movie theater, calls on cast to visit
Yarbrough’s petition garnered thousands of signatures
Yarbrough, who has been organizing since high school, was born and raised in Clarksdale. It is about 155 miles northwest of Jackson, Mississippi and about 80 miles southwest of Memphis, Tennessee.
Yarbrough’s favorite thing about his hometown, a historically significant hub for blues music, is “the people, the talent, the possibilities, and the dreams.”
As of 2023, Clarksdale has an estimated 14,000 people. It currently has no operating movie theaters because they were either closed or were transformed for other purposes, so Yarbrough had to travel miles to watch “Sinners” when it was released. After hearing some discourse from residents, he started his petition, which has gathered nearly 6,000 signatures at the time of publication.
He felt compelled to welcome the cast and crew to the place that inspired the popular horror movie, which he credited for capturing the essence of the Mississippi Delta. Although set in Clarksdale, the movie was reportedly filmed in several locations in Louisiana.
Based in the 1930s, the main characters, Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan), return to the small city from Chicago to start a juke joint when unwelcome blood thirsty guests ruin their shindig.
City of Clarksdale fully supports the public screening
In his letter, Yarbrough emphasized how the visit will shed light on Clarksdale’s history and legacy. In addition to the public screening, he said they could swing by community staples like Red’s Juke Joint and Ground Zero Blues Club, co-owned by Morgan Freeman.
“I believe there needs to be a screening, but also believe that this can be something a bit more,” Yarbrough said, adding that he hopes it includes panel discussions spearheaded by residents.
“I would love to see the cast and the director come to see some of our juke joints and party with us, and come see some of our farms.”
Espy told USA TODAY that he recognizes and fully backs Yarbrough’s efforts. Although an official date has not been established, they are looking to hold the event before Juneteenth, which, according to him, has piqued the interest of out-of-state visitors and would be “a great moment” for the city.
“The community has come together, and it gives us an opportunity to highlight not only a great movie, but also to show the culture here in Clarksville,” Espy said. “I’m really thankful that people like Tyler Yarbrough exist, and he cares about his community. When a person steps up and takes it to that next level…we have to give him 110% support.”
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Clarksdale, Mississippi in talks to host ‘Sinners’ screening
