Sinners: Why did Smoke let that one vampire live? Star Wunmi Mosaku reveals the answer

Ryan Coogler's Sinners is winning over audiences as it takes them through the dark chapters of history in its vampiric horror tale. Released on April 18, 2025, the film has proven a lucrative deal for Warner Bros. Pictures since it has performed exceptionally even at its second weekend at the box office. With reportedly just a 6-7% drop in domestic sales, Sinners has become a massive success story. However, at its core, it remains a deeply personal tale for Coogler, which might have affected the way he chose to present the characters, their choices, and their dilemmas.

One of the most-talked about choices was to show Smoke killing Annie but not Stack. Some viewers might wonder why he kills one and not the other. After all, Annie is his wife. So, does this mean that he values his brother Stack more than her? The answer is a little more complicated as it concerns the ideas of freedom and salvation for both these characters. By killing Annie, Smoke actually fulfills her wish. On the other hand, Smoke lets the vampire Stack live for two reasons: to ensure a future for Sammie and to offer Stack a chance to be with Mary.

Wunmi Mosaku, who plays Annie in Sinners, recently unpacked Smoke's complex decision in a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter.

Wunmi Mosaku reveals why Smoke let Stack live but not her in Sinners: Answer explored

Wunmi Mosaku in Sinners (Image via YouTube/@WarnerBros)

While speaking with THR, Wunmi Mosaku discussed the many layers of Sinners. She revealed that the talked-about surreal musical montage was added to a later draft of the script. Eventually, the discussion came to the topic of a conflicting choice that Smoke was subjected to.

In Sinners, Smoke kills Annie with a stake before she can turn into a vampire to honor her wishes. If he hadn't done so, Annie might have turned into one. It would have condemned to an eternal life as a vampire, which is opposed to her beliefs and values as a Hoodoo practitioner. During the THR interview, Mosaku shed light on this topic.

"Annie asked, and Annie shared with the group that this [vampiric] fate is wicked. They never see the sun or feel the warmth of a sunrise, and they’re never able to rejoin their ancestors, which, in Annie’s mind, is part of the right and righteous cycle. And then, to forever live on earth, in a place with conflict and pain and sorrow, that’s not her goal. So Smoke kills her because the fate of Annie as a vampire is absolutely against everything she believes in and everything she wants."

Meanwhile, by the time the survivors invite vampires inside the juke joint, both Stack and Mary have already become turned. So, Smoke cannot save them from that life in the shadows. However, he can allow Stack live with Mary, which, he could not do so as humans at the time. Hence, by not killing Stack, Smoke not only secures his future with Mary, but also ensures that Sammie leads a fruitful life as a musician. When asked about this decision, Mosaku said,

"Stack has already turned, but he’s still Stack. He’s still his (Smoke's) brother; he’s just in a different form. And I believe that he didn’t kill Stack, because he trusted Stack to keep his promise [regarding Sammie]. Stack now gets to live his life with the love of his life [Mary] in perpetuity, and Smoke understands that too. He’s answering Annie and Stack’s prayers and wants in each moment."

Ryan Coogler's Sinners is available to watch in theaters.