Following previous collaborations between director Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan, the 2025 release Sinners pulls from the history of the Mississippi Delta and puts a spooky spin on it.
Set in 1932, twin brothers Elijah “Smoke” Moore and Elias “Stack” Moore, both WWI veterans who previously worked for the Chicago Outfit, return to their hometown, Clarksdale. They aim to leave behind their past, use money stolen from gangsters, and open a juke joint for the Black community.
On opening night, the juke joint’s performances are powerful, drawing the attention of Remmick, an Irish vampire, and his vampire entourage. The film combines real history, including the Chinese immigrants who moved to these rural towns and the plantation structure that kept Black workers in oppression.
While the movie is set in Mississippi, it was filmed in Louisiana due to the state’s existing film infrastructure. Note that this post is not spoiler-free!
Sinners Filming Locations
Downtown Donaldsonville
Donaldsonville, located along the Great River Road outside of Baton Rouge, stood in for Clarksdale in Sinners. It was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples, notably the Chitimacha, and later attracted the Acadian people.
The city has a historic district covering approximately 50 blocks, featuring a diverse range of architectural styles, from Queen Anne Revival mansions to bungalows and shotgun homes, which help transport the scenery back to the 1930s. It’s home to several nearby plantations like Houmas House and the River Road African American Museum, an important stop for visitors.
Creedmoor Plantation
Creedmoor Plantation was used as the set for Annie’s House in Sinners, but was also a setting for The Lucky One and The Last Exorcism. It did sustain damage during Hurricane Katrina and is not open to visitors, but you can see the exterior.
The main house is Greek Revival style, built around 1842 by Richard Richardson, retaining its original woodwork, ceiling medallions, and also includes outbuildings such as an overseer’s house, stable, and privy.
Laurel Valley Plantation
Plantation scenes from the film took place at Laurel Valley Plantation, which became a sprawling sugar plantation in 1832 with over 5,000 acres and over 100 enslaved laborers.
It became a mill town by the 1920s, with additional homes and buildings popping up around the original plantation. It is one of the largest surviving sugar plantation complexes from the 19th and early 20th centuries and now operates as a museum.
To learn more about the filming locations from Sinners, check out this post on Movie Locations and another from Time Out.
The Real Life Places That Inspired Sinners
Delta Blues Museum, Clarksdale
The Clarksdale train depot was featured in the film, but the town’s actual former freight depot is now the Delta Blues Museum, which is devoted to collecting, preserving, and promoting the history and heritage of blues music.
One of the most famous features is Muddy Waters’ childhood cabin, which was moved from the Stovall Plantation. The museum also holds musical instruments, costumes, posters, rare recordings, photographs, and sheet music of major blues artists.
Dockery Farm, Cleveland
Dockery Farms was started in 1895 by William Alfred “Will” Dockery, and at its peak, covered around 25,600 acres. It is widely considered one of the central places in the birth and shaping of Delta blues, where the likes of Charley Patton and Howlin’ Wolf performed. It’s now open for guided tours.
Ground Zero Blues Club, Clarksdale
The juke joint from the film was actually built as a set on a golf course, but there are still some spots left to remember this heyday of the Delta blues. One is the famous Ground Zero Blues Club, opened in 2001 for authentic Delta blues music, especially for local blues musicians to perform regularly.
You can also catch blues legends at places like Red’s in Clarksdale and Blue Front Cafe in Bentonia.
Mound Bayou
The twins cited the free black town of Mound Bayou, which is a real place north of Cleveland, referred to as the “Jewel of the Delta.” It was founded in 1887 by Isaiah T. Montgomery and his cousin Benjamin T. Green, both formerly enslaved people.
Mound Bayou is one of the earliest and most successful examples of an all-Black town founded by formerly enslaved people. Its success is often held up as a symbol of Black autonomy, resilience, community building, economic self-help, and civic pride.
Robert Johnson’s Grave, Greenwood
The storyline of the Sammie character follows some of the legend around bluesman Robert Johnson, said to have sold his soul to the devil for his talents. While a marker sits behind Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church, it’s unclear whether or not he is actually buried there.
In any case, stop by at night to pour one out for the man. The best place to stay nearby is Tallahatchie Flats, made up of former sharecropper cabins.
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