Ryan Coogler has had one of the biggest years of his career. However, even with all the attention surrounding Sinners and its seven Golden Globe nominations, the filmmaker is still keeping a low profile where it matters most.
During a recent conversation with The New York Times, Coogler opened up about an invitation he once turned down from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences—an offer many directors would treat as a career milestone. For him, the decision came down to something far simpler.
“It’s not out of animosity,” Coogler explained, noting that he was already stretched thin running his film school and staying active in union work.
More importantly, he said he isn’t wired for the pressure of industry voting. “I’m not good at judging things, bro. The act of ‘Hey, pick the best thing’ is very stressful for me, even when there’s no stakes involved.”
By the time he made that decision in 2016, Coogler was already navigating the growing attention around Fruitvale Station, Creed, and eventually Black Panther. Even now—after Sinners became the highest-grossing original live-action film in more than a decade—he still insists on approaching the industry like a working craftsman rather than a public figure.
“People see the tuxedo, they see the red carpet, but it’s real blue-collar folks making these movies happen,” he said, adding that when he’s not on a press run, he’s usually in “coveralls and Columbia gear” solving daily production problems.
Coogler’s resistance to industry glamour stems from his desire to protect his creative process. With Sinners—a riskier, R-rated story he wrote about twin brothers who open a juke joint in Jim Crow–era Mississippi—there were no franchises or comic-book lore to lean on. Everything came from his own life and imagination.
That vulnerability shifted how he worked with actors, especially as he opened up about personal losses he still grapples with. The film’s centerpiece sequence, rooted in blues traditions taught to him by his great-uncle, reflects that deeply personal approach.
While the accolades accumulate, Coogler remains focused on the work ahead. He’s currently deep into developing the third Black Panther film, which is expected to feature Denzel Washington, and he’s preparing a slate of Proximity Media projects, including an X-Files revival.
As for what happens after Black Panther 3, he isn’t in a rush to define it: “We’ll see what comes.”