'That ain't no haint': 'Sinners' movie references evil spirit. But what is it exactly?
Viewers have some thoughts about Ryan Coogler's subtle reference to another supernatural entity in the film, released April 18.
While a select few might have had an inkling about what Annie (Wunmi Mosaku), a Hoodoo practitioner and herbalist, meant by "haint," others were completely in the dark.
One viewer even thought Annie uttered the word "Hank" as she tried to determine the cause of Stack's (Michael B. Jordan) and Mary's (Hailee Steinfeld) death-defying transformation. Annie determines, through context clues, that her friends have turned into vampires, not haints like she previously hypothesized.
Though haints are not the focus of "Sinners," the spectral beings are deeply rooted in Southern folklore, not unlike the film, set in Mississippi in the 1930s.
Here's what to know about haints, including a compilation of viewers' genuine reactions to Coogler's subtle reference.
What is a haint?
A haint, for those unfamiliar with African spiritual traditions, refers to "evil spirits who escaped their human forms at night to paralyze, injure, ride (the way a person might ride a horse), or even kill innocent victims," Atlas Obscura reported in January 2020.
Though haints are only mentioned by name once in "Sinners," some viewers noticed the way Coogler wove in the use of "haint blue" a shade of blue used by enslaved Africans and later by the Gullah Geechee to combat haints and "boo hags," in Annie's home and wardrobe throughout the film.
"She's hoodoo, she's voodoo. She's of African diasporic tradition,' Ruth E. Cater, the film's costume designer, told lifestyle publication 21Ninety. 'She's every part of where our origin story led us in terms of our religious practices.'
Haint blue was believed to trick haints into believing they had stumbled into water, which they were unable to cross or the sky, which led them farther away from their victims, according to Atlas Obscura.
The color was first derived from the dye produced on indigo plantations across the South Carolina coast, Atlas Obscura reported.
Some painted their homes in haint blue, while others hung blue glass bottles in trees to trap the evil spirit or spirits lurking in the shadows, according to Atlas Obscura. Not all Gullah Geechee, however, identify with the color's use.
While the practice of using haint blue to ward off evil spirits might not be as common, the color has bled into the mainstream, with major paint companies like Sherwin-Williams and PPG Industries, Inc selling paint inspired by the shade.
Viewers go on 'deep dive' after haint reference in 'Sinners'
While some viewers knew what a haint was before they saw the film, others were intrigued enough by the reference that they proceeded to do some research on the evil spirt and for some, its connection to vampires.
Those who were able to make sense of the reference in the moment remembered when they first heard about haints from relatives and the significance of "haint blue" in the film.
Either way, those who heard the subtle reference were impressed by Coogler's attention to detail. Below you will find a compilation of posts that encapsulates the conversation surrounding haints in "Sinners."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Elle
an hour ago
- Elle
‘The Hunting Wives' Showrunner Teases a Potential Season 2 (With More Murder)
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Some spoilers below. Maple Brook, Texas, has a murder problem. In Netflix's latest soapy mystery thriller The Hunting Wives, the Southern enclave becomes the scene of not one but multiple (four, by my count) homicides, each somehow connected to the titular gun-toting wives at its center. Most dominant amongst them is Margo (Malin Åkerman), wife of the oil tycoon and gubernatorial candidate Jed (Dermot Mulroney), with whom she shares an open marriage. That open door beckons in Sophie (Brittany Snow), who's relocated from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Maple Brook with her husband, only to fall in with Margo and her MAGA-coded pack—and fall into a love affair with Margot herself. Eventually, the multiple affairs connecting these characters result in multiple deaths (who could have guessed!), setting the stage for a delicious finale the chance for a second season. Here's what we know so far. Mercifully, none of the people depicted in The Hunting Wives are real. But their story is adapted from a 2021 thriller novel by May Cobb, which is itself inspired by some of Cobb's real-life experiences in Texas. As Åkerman recently told Town & Country, '[Cobb] was on set a lot, she's an executive producer of the show, and the book is based on people that she has met—not necessarily the murders, though. But we had a lot of discussions, and talking to May about who she met and hearing her stories of these different women was informative for our characters.' She also added that '[showrunner] Rebecca Cutter and May decided to swap a few things from the book so that fans are surprised as well.' All of which is to say: Whether or not you've read The Hunting Wives before tuning into the Netflix series, you're in for a twisty ride. The cast and crew certainly want one. After scooping up the series from Starz in a one-year deal earlier this summer, Netflix has yet to announce what the future of the series might look like. But its talent have demonstrated a clear interest in moving forward. In a pre-release interview with Decider, Ackerman shared that she was nervous for the series to drop on Netflix largely because she wants it to continue. 'I think the nerves come from, for me, really wanting this to go for a second season,' she said, adding, 'because I love everybody that I got to work with and it would be a dream come true to go again. So my nerves are around the fact that I just want and wish for everyone to love it so much that we get another season.' In a separate interview with Collider, Snow also expressed her enthusiasm for a sophomore chapter. 'I think the end [of season 1] is really interesting, and I know that we would deal with it in season 2,' she said. 'There are a lot of questions that didn't get answered because Rebecca wants to answer them in the next season if we get one.' Should Cutter get the green light she's hoping for, she plans to 'do a little bit of a time jump—not a year, but a time' between seasons, she told Variety. She's not yet sure what the ensuing story might look like, but one thing is for certain: Season 2 would center 'the two engines of the show': a 'whodunit' and 'the Margo/Sophie relationship.' Cutter continued, 'The first thing I'm thinking about is, where are these two women at the start? Where are they at the end? What are the peaks and valleys of their individual power, of their relationship? So it's tracking a course for that, and then figuring out what the crime engine is.' As for the 'crime engine' itself, expect another murder mystery. But don't ask for any details yet! Cutter joked, 'I don't know whodunit yet or who got done!' This story will be updated.
Black America Web
2 hours ago
- Black America Web
Tyler Perry Reveals He Helped Ryan Coogler Secure ‘Sinners' Deal, Talks Firing His Aunt For Not Coming To Work
Tyler Perry shared polarizing, eye-opening sentiments during a sit-down with twenty-time Grammy-winning artist Kirk Franklin, Big Dave's Cheesesteaks founder Derrick Hayes, and rapper Jeezy on an episode of Den of Kings . Source: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty The billionaire actor and studio executive shared that he draws a solid line in the sand when it comes to helping his family and sharing his immense wealth. ' I fired my own aunt. She said she wanted a job—she was always calling me up for money and I would send her the money,' Perry said. I said 'Listen, I want to help you build this thing. I don't want to be welfare to you, let me give you this job.' I gave her a job to help her — and she didn't want to show up. I'm not going to handicap people I love,' Perry said. Though the other men in the conversation seemed to understand Perry's decision, the internet quickly made the clip a discussion piece with some people feeling like the Madea movie mastermind has a few dollars to spare and others echoing his sentiment that he doesn't owe anyone a handout. Perry has said in the past that his most popular character—the gun-toting matriarch and comedic relief—was fashioned after his aunt, we can only hope it's not the one he fired. Whew, chile. Perry also revealed to the panel that he helped fellow filmmaker Ryan Coogler land a landmark deal for his critically-acclaimed film Sinners . Coogler revealed that he would retain full ownership over his $360 million feature in 25 years along with first-dollar gross points and it seems we have Perry to thank for giving him the game. 'When this deal with Ryan Coogler – everybody's talking about the Sinners deal. 'Oh my god, he got this amazing deal,'' Perry said around the 21-minute mark in the interview. 'Listen, I called that brother up, as I did a lot of them. I called him up after Black Panther and I said, 'Listen, here is how you do it.' I applaud him, man. I'm excited for him because that's what it's about. Holding on to the ownership.' Coogler never revealed that he'd had a conversation with Perry, but now we know. The Straw director also spoke about being underestimated in Hollywood and how it worked to his advantage, even in the present day, after all of his successes. 'These are the people who are like 'oh that's just something than Black people like.' They thought Diary of a Mad Black Woman would only do $5 million total, it opened at $20 million. When you're underestimated, you can make the best deals,' he said. 'That's why I tell people don't go in a room with your resume trying to impress anybody. See what deal you can make, go under first. I am still fighting for budgets, I am still fighting for looks that my white counterparts. in this business have. I have a friend who gets $27 million to write an episode of television, I'm barely getting four.' The post Tyler Perry Reveals He Helped Ryan Coogler Secure 'Sinners' Deal, Talks Firing His Aunt For Not Coming To Work appeared first on Bossip. SEE ALSO Tyler Perry Reveals He Helped Ryan Coogler Secure 'Sinners' Deal, Talks Firing His Aunt For Not Coming To Work was originally published on
Elle
2 hours ago
- Elle
The Hidden Messages in Lindsay Lohan's 'Freakier Friday' Press Tour Looks
You're not seeing double—you're seeing The Parent Trap's Annie and Hallie Parker all grown up. The week has barely begun and Lindsay Lohan has already referenced herself not once, but twice—the mark of an iconic filmography. This morning in New York City, the Freakier Friday actress was spotted arriving for press appearances on Good Morning America and LIVE With Kelly and Mark. For GMA, Lohan wore a canary yellow Balmain tweed ensemble with a matching headband and strappy heels. It's difficult to spot yellow checked fabric and not immediately think of Cher in Clueless; however, it was actually a subtle blending of two different Annie looks from the 1998 movie: the first being Annie's skirt suit when she's dropped off at summer camp, and the second, her butter yellow sweater and accessories during the family reunion at the hotel. The second look was a direct reference to the rambunctious Hallie, this time from Roberto Cavalli's pre-fall 2025 collection. Both were styled by Andrew Mukamal, the genius behind Margot Robbie's thoroughly researched Barbie press tour looks—the run of which was so iconic, the duo released a coffee table book titled Barbie: The World Tour. If there's anything that we know about Mukamal's styling, it's that he's very intentional with his references. For all fans know, two Parker sister sightings in one day could be a playful throwback or a hint at something more (it is the era of the early 2000s reboot, after all).
