Ryan Coogler solidified his filmmaking career by crafting movies that were either inspired by true events or already connected to massive IPs. But, with his 2025 movie release, Sinners, Coogler tells a totally original story that further showcases the bounds of his imagination and moviemaking prowess. Of course, had he wanted to, Coogler could’ve just opted to make another sequel instead of his critically acclaimed vampire epic. However, the fan-favorite director had good reasons for choosing to try out something new.
As awards season ramps up, Ryan Coogler, along with Sinners’ cast and crew, have been making the rounds and discussing their film at various events. Coogler recently participated in Deadline’s Contenders Film: Los Angeles, where he confirmed Black Panther 3 would be his next movie. Ahead of taking on that threequel, though, the Oakland native felt compelled to make his musical horror flick in an entertainment landscape that’s going through massive changes:
There was a lot of anxiety about the business, whether the business was going to go away or not through the changing viewing habits. And I realized, man, if the movies stopped, I would’ve never done something that was truly totally me, and that made me sad.
So it seems the Creed helmer didn’t want to miss out on the chance to make an original piece of work on the off chance he never received the opportunity again. I understand that concern, given the last decade or so has seen studios become incredibly reliant on existing properties — whether for film or TV — to thrive. That’s not to say many haven’t been successful, as the Black Panther films, which are part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, have sweet box office receipts. Yet Coogler didn’t want to rest on his laurels:
It was really something where I didn’t want to be chickenshit. I didn’t want to have hid behind all these different franchises … and not ever really, truly showed all of myself in a cinematic context. … I grew up loving weird movies, horror cinema and literature. I hadn’t made anything in that space, and I felt like I hadn’t made enough moments that were surprising. Even though I had done that before, I wanted to make a movie full of them.
Based on how Sinners turned out, it feels like Ryan Coogler was able to masterfully swerve into the horror genre after making his mark in the realms of superheroes and sports dramas. Coogler’s latest film is shaping up to be a key player amid the awards chases that are to come within the next few months, and it’s not only achieved praise from critics and general audiences but from industry titans as well. Spike Lee praised the vampire flick after screening it, and Francis Ford Coppola also penned a tribute to the film.
As someone who loves Coogler’s latest film, I’d say that regardless of whatever awards it wins moving forward, the director should chalk the production up as a victory. That’s because he took a big chance by creating an original story, and it ended up becoming not just a popular film but one that many are viewing as a cultural moment. So all I have to say is thank goodness Coogler opted not to be, as he humorously quipped, a “chickenshit.”
Sinners is now available to stream with an HBO Max subscription. Be sure to also keep track of Ryan Coogler and co. as they continue to drop behind-the-scenes details on their movie amid awards season.
