Sinners was one of the biggest movies of last year that was able to win big at the box office and at the recent Academy Awards. It was a rare non-franchise success story, but it did have one thing in common with some of those bigger movies: it had its own code name.

It’s not uncommon for major film productions to be filmed under code names, either because full titles haven’t yet been decided on or in an attempt to reduce the number of prying eyes trying to dig for spoilers. Ryan Coogler was used to having code names for movies, having worked on two Black Panther movies for Marvel. He came up with his own code name for Sinners. He called it "Grilled Cheese". Oscar-winning director of photography Autumn Durald Arkapaw recently told CBS Mornings the name wasn't random and had a very specific meaning. She said…

As somebody who has made more than his share of grilled cheese sandwiches specifically because I wanted something that I could make quickly, but would be tasty when it was done, I can fully support this code name.

While Sinners certainly doesn’t look or feel “down and dirty” compared to a major blockbuster production like a Black Panther movie, it probably felt that way from a production standpoint. It’s understandable that Ryan Coogler might want to go back and try to make something closer to his breakout hit Fruitvale Station in between his major tentpole releases.

Unfortunately, while the code name may have tried to make the shoot feel like it was some sort of indie production, it absolutely was not that. Arkapaw admits that the movie ended up becoming much bigger than originally planned. Apparently, a somewhat different food-related code name would have been more appropriate. She continued…

While I love a tasty grilled cheese, I won’t turn down a fine dining experience either. Sinners may have ballooned into something bigger than it was planned to be, but perhaps that’s part of what made it the incredible hit that it was. It made millions at the box office, took home multiple major Oscars, including for star Michael B. Jordan and writer Ryan Coogler, and may have changed the way filmmakers work with studios for decades to come.

It’s unclear which of Ryan Coogler’s upcoming projects will be his next directorial effort, but I’ll be on the lookout for its codename. It may not tell us much about what the movie will be, but it will potentially give us insight into what Ryan Coogler thinks it is.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for consistently bringing new content to fans, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Folks who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know that certain franchises are fan favorites, chief among them being Black Panther. Oscar-winning filmmaker recently spoke about how Marvel and Disney reacted after Chadwick Boseman's sudden death in 2020.

Boseman's passing was a shock to both his fans and collaborators, as he was having a private battle with colon cancer. Ryan Coogler issued a statement shortly after his death, and the story of Wakanda Forever was overhauled to be a tribute to the late actor's legacy. During a recent appearance at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts (via THR), Coogler spoke about how Kevin Feige and Disney CEO Bob Iger flew to speak to him mid-pandemic, offering:

How sweet is that? While one might assume that Iger and Feige were focused on upcoming Marvel movies, and the future of Black Panther, that seemingly wasn't the case. Instead they spoke to Ryan Coogler as a person in the midst of mourning, which is a refreshing attitude in an otherwise cutthroat industry.

As previously mentioned, Black Panther 2's story had to be completely redone after Chadwick Boseman's death, with Wakanda Forever being a moving meditation on grief. The cast and creatives have been honest about how hard it's been to grapple with the late actor's passing, especially when returning to set for Ryan Coogler's sophomore Marvel project. Later in that same appearance the Sinners filmmaker praised Boseman's character and talents, offering:

Clearly playing T'Challa meant a great deal to Coogler. And the Get On Up actor ended up becoming a real-life hero to countless young people of color after Black Panther was released in theaters. It's a shame that his tenure was cut short, but it's clear that his legacy is still very much with us.

The Black Panther franchise is streaming on Disney+, and the next Marvel movie hitting theaters is Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to see what Coogler is cooking up for the third film set in Wakanda.

In case you thought the finale of The X-Files' second revival season was the end of the road for the world of monsters, aliens, and conspiracies, Ryan Coogler has a treat in store for you. The Academy Award-winner's reboot of the classic Fox series has officially cast a Black Mirror alum for its second lead, and comments from original leading lady Gillian Anderson have me even more optimistic about the project and its early pilot order from Hulu.

The Cast Of Ryan Coogler’s The X-Files

News broke back in February that The Bear’s Danielle Deadwyler had been cast as one of two very different but highly decorated FBI agents who are assigned to a long-shuttered division involving unexplained phenomena, a.k.a. the X-Files that stymied David Duchovny’s Mulder and Gillian Anderson’s Scully for a quarter century. The question then was of who would be Deadwyler’s co-lead, as many fans of the original show would likely argue that it was the legendary chemistry between Duchovny and Anderson that kept it going through eleven seasons and two movies rather than the increasingly convoluted conspiracies.

Now, we have our answer: Deadline reports that Himesh Patel has signed on for the reboot, with Ryan Coogler still on board to write and direct the pilot. At the time of writing, it’s not clear whether the new show will follow the model of the original series with a skeptical female agent partnering with a believer male agent, but Patel’s work in projects like Black Mirror, Tenet, and even The Franchise (seen below) have me hoping that he’ll be the believer a la Mulder… although perhaps without as much sister-related trauma.

The British Indian actor comes to the new take on The X-Files with more TV experience than most thanks to ten seasons of EastEnders on the U.K. side of the pond, amounting to nearly 600 episodes of the iconic soap opera. He contributed to another classic British franchise with some voice roles in Doctor Who, and he landed a role in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. On the streaming side, he will return to the Enola Holmes world as Dr. Watson opposite Millie Bobby Brown when the third movie releases on Netflix later this year.

Why Gillian Anderson Has Me More Optimistic Than Ever

I’ve been on board with Ryan Coogler’s reboot from the beginning, not least because having the Sinners filmmaker at the helm rather than original series creator Chris Carter could only be good for refreshing the world of Mulder and Scully, whether or not those two ever appear in the show. (No, I’m still not over that seriously WTF finale from back in 2018, written and directed by Carter. It did not make my list of the best X-Files episodes.) Having Coogler at the helm, with Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel as stars, sounded all well and good in a vague, general sense.

But getting some details about the project from Gillian Anderson really ramped up my excitement. Speaking at Awesome Con, she doubled down on her previous comments about Coogler being the “perfect person” for a reboot, describing him as “such a cool guy and so talented” and sharing that she’s had “a few conversations” with him. She went on:

For me, this is a whole lot more meaningful than comments from Chris Carter or David Duchovny would be, because Gillian Anderson was the first to indicate that she was going to be done with The X-Files after Season 11. Plus, given that she played a character who famously did not have an open mind to a lot of Mulder's wildest theories, I get a kick out of the actress conveying that message for Ryan Coogler's project.

Why Gillian Anderson Seemed So Done With The OG X-Files

Back in 2017, Gillian Anderson's comments about moving on from Scully and The X-Files were discouraging for fans who were still looking ahead to Season 11 in 2018. That changed for me once the season did hit the airwaves, however, when the premiere penned by Chris Carter delivered a devastating twist about something that had been done to Scully, followed by the Season 11 finale ending with Scully pregnant again after going through more mysterious health crises.

The character deserved a break, and if the series had to literally go off the air for it to happen... well, it was an understandable choice for the actress who played Scully through so much pain and suffering. Then, in late 2025, she got even more candid about leaving the show while chatting with Duchovny on his Fail Better podcast:

Would it have been nice if The X-Files ended with confirmation that Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) had survived his finale ordeal, and perhaps given an update on John Doggett, a.k.a. Robert Patrick's favorite role of his career? Sure. But all in all, it's easy to understand why Gillian Anderson didn't want to continue that trajectory on the show.

All of which is to say that if she's this complimentary of Ryan Coogler's take on The X-Files, to the point of having multiple conversations with him, reading the pilot, and not ruling out the possibility of reprising her role as Scully, then I can have faith in what he plans to do with it. At the time of writing, David Duchovny hasn't commented on the castings or the pilot, while Chris Carter is on board as an executive producer.

Of course, there might be reasons for existing fans of The X-Files to start getting nervous about the project coming to Hulu. The planned reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer seemed to have everything going for it, including Oscar winner Chloé Zhao at the helm and original series star Sarah Michelle Gellar on board. It came as a shocker when news broke that Hulu wasn't moving forward on more Buffy. If that could happen with Buffy and Chloé Zhao, what about The X-Files and Ryan Coogler?

Only time will tell, at this point! As the wait continues for more news on the pilot, you can always revisit the original run of The X-Files streaming with a Hulu subscription and/or via a dedicated Pluto channel.

In 2013, Ryan Coogler made his filmmaking debut with Fruitvale Station. It kicked off a professional career that delivered him his first Academy Award earlier this month, winning the Best Original Screenplay category for his work on Sinners. But five years before Fruitvale Station’s release, and 10 years before he delivered Black Panther to the world, Coogler wasn’t anywhere close to being famous. And yet, he still had an interesting encounter with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and Tony Stark actor Robert Downey Jr. at an Iron Man event.

Ryan Coogler recalled this while speaking with Feige and Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy at the dedication celebration for USC’s Kevin Feige Division of Film & Television Production for its School of Cinematic Art (via THR). This is the same event where Feige talked about the last time he saw Chadwick Boseman, and earlier in the evening, Coogler wound the clock back further to talk about when he saw Iron Man during its opening weekend at Hollwood’s Arclight. At one point, he left to use the bathroom, but then was locked out of the theater by security because they were making way for three special guests to appear ahead of the screening:

Don’t worry, Ryan Coogler was able to get back into the theater. Frankly, if I was in his shoes and had been kept out, I’d have been mad about missing out on not just seeing Robert Downey Jr., Kevin Feige and director Jon Favreau, but also not getting to see one of the biggest summer blockbusters of 2008. But thankfully Coogler avoided that and had a good time watching Downey entertain the audience and Iron Man itself:

Less than a decade later, Ryan Coogler would find himself following in Jon Favreau’s footsteps in directing a Marvel movie. Following the success of Creed in 2015, Coogler was tapped to helm Black Panther, which pushed Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa to center stage after he was introduced in Captain America: Civil War. He then returned for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but his original plans for the sequel needed to be overhauled following Boseman’s death. So Letitia Wright’s Shuri inherited the Black Panther mantle, and we’ll see her back in action when Avengers: Doomsday arrives to the 2026 movies schedule.

Looking further ahead into the future, Ryan Coogler is turning his attention next to Black Panther 3, and Sinners actor Delroy Lindo has expressed interested in being added to the cast. The threequel doesn’t have a release date on the upcoming Marvel movies slate yet, but MCU fans can look forward to Spider-Man: Brand New Day hitting theaters on July 31 ahead of Doomsday’s December release.

The Oscars took place last Sunday March 15 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, and the nominee with the most buzz was, of course, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. The critically acclaimed vampire flick received a record setting 16 nominations at the 98th Academy Awards. Both Coogler and frequent collaborator Michael B. Jordan received their first Oscar wins during the live event. Some viewers noticed the Black Panther director using American Sign Language during his acceptance speech, and there’s an awesome story as to why Coogler casually used the signing language throughout the night.

After some unexpected Golden Globe snubs, audiences were rooting for a Sinners sweep at the 2026 Academy Awards. While it fell short to One Battle After Another for Best Picture, Sinners took home Oscars in four other major categories: Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay. Every time one of his collaborators took the stage, the camera would pan to Coogler, who would casually flash ASL signs for “I love you” and “Thank you.”

This was not lost on many viewers at home. Filmmaker @chrissymarshall_ on TikTok, compiled the Fruitvale Station director’s use of ASL at the Oscars, commenting how much him normalizing ASL on stage meant to her as a member of the Deaf community:

What may seem like a random decision actually has a lot of meaning behind it, revealed via Huff Post, as his wife and co-producer Zinzi Coogler is a certified ASL interpreter. The Hollywood power couple met as teenagers, but started dating in college, where Zinzi got her degree in communicative sciences and deaf studies, according to Marie Claire. Before co-founding Proximity Media with her husband and their creative partner Sev Ohanian, she worked as an ASL interpreter for the nonprofit Deaf Counseling, Advocacy & Referral Agency.

While the Cooglers have never confirmed having Deaf family members, they clearly are closely involved with and fierce advocates of the Deaf community. The Sinners director’s public use of ASL at the Oscars might have surprised some, but longtime fans of Coogler’s know this is not a one off.

The producing duo have been longtime proponents of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing representation in film. The Creed franchise, created by Coogler, includes a HOH storyline for Tessa Thompson’s character, Bianca, that progresses across all three movies. In Creed III, Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut, Adonis and Bianca’s daughter is deaf, played by Deaf actress Mila Davis-Kent. The story told does not revolve around these characters’ deafness, but their struggles and successes in a predominantly hearing world are a huge part of the narrative and Adonis Creed’s journey.

Storylines like this, and the casual use of ASL at the Oscars by people who are involved with the Deaf community like the Cooglers, are important to increasing awareness of ASL and Deaf people, says Deaf creator @notlenavernice on Tiktok.

I think one of Ryan Coogler’s greatest accomplishments as a filmmaker is his ability to seamlessly include marginalized individuals, without it ever feeling forced or performative. Zinzi Coogler told Marie Claire that she and her husband’s careers are always intertwined with each other’s, leading them to “lean into stories about communities that are underrepresented, but in a way that shows that complexity and vibrancy and joy in life.”

Ryan Coogler’s ASL use at the Academy Awards is a great reminder for Hollywood creatives and audiences that inclusivity of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals in Hollywood doesn’t stop post-CODA Best Picture win. While Sinners did not have any Deaf or HOH characters, the Academy Award-nominated film is the first movie to stream with a Black American Sign Language version, available to watch with an HBO Max subscription.

I seriously love the Cooglers’ dedication to normalizing ASL, in both their professional and personal lives. Coogler has quickly become one of my favorite filmmakers of this decade due to his incredible talent and his steadfast down-to-earth values, a rare combination in Hollywood. His Oscar win was well deserved, and I’m excited to see what he does next with upcoming projects, including Black Panther 3 and an X-Files reboot.

It’s fair to say that Ryan Coogler has more than carved out his path as a filmmaker within the Hollywood landscape. While the 39-year-old filmmaker only has five films under his belt, the titles that make up his filmography – like Black Panther and Sinners – have left indelible marks on pop culture. Despite his immense success, though, Coogler is always eager to give credit to others for how they’ve helped him. Among those to lend a hand has been Christopher Nolan, who bestowed some truly sweet advice upon Coogler.

During a segment on Criterion’s “Closet Picks,” Coogler affectionately referred to Nolan as a “mentor,” and he hasn’t held back about discussing the Oppenheimer helmer’s impact on his life and career. Coogler’s relationship with Nolan came up again when he participated in a panel with co-producer Sev Ohanian at Bloomberg Screentime (shared on YouTube). When asked about words of wisdom he’d received from Nolan, Coogler didn’t mention lenses or other technical details. Instead, he discussed something a bit more personal:

Christopher Nolan has been working with his wife, Emma Thomas – his producing partner – for years now, and they’ve seemingly built a strong working dynamic on top of their marital relationship. Likewise, the past few years have seen spouses Ryan and Zinzi Coogler working alongside each other under their Proximity Media banner. It’s been lovely to see the Cooglers work together, and I’m glad Ryan took that sweet piece of advice to bring his wife into the fold business-wise – and those two have a lot to be proud of as of late.

The Cooglers co-produced Ryan’s critically acclaimed vampire drama, Sinners, which has been much-discussed since it was released in April 2025. As of late, both Zinzi and Ryan have been promoting the movie amid awards season, and it has picked up quite a few honors. Most notably, the movie leads the 2026 Oscar nominees with a record-breaking 16 nominations. That’s a tremendous accomplishment, though I find it even sweeter given that it was partially due to the efforts of a skilled power couple.

Of course, now, I’m particularly excited to see what the Cooglers do next. It’s public knowledge at this point that a third Black Panther movie is on the way, so I expect they’ll work closely on that. Ryan also recently shared his desire to make a romantic comedy, and I’d be so down for that. Whatever happens, though, I’m just hopeful that the Cooglers will continue to collaborate on films like good friends Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas.

Check out the fruit of the Cooglers’ labor, Sinners, now by streaming it with an HBO Max subscription. Also, to see if the film brings homes the gold, watch the 2026 Oscars tonight at 7 p.m. ET on ABC (or stream it live with a Hulu subscription).

The time is finally upon us. The 98th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien, are this Sunday, and here at CinemaBlend, we’ve made our picks on who we think will take home the top eight categories of the night. Three of the categories (Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress) have clear-cut favorites amongst our staff. The remaining five (both screenplay awards, both supporting actor awards, and the award for Best Actor) are, quite honestly, very tricky to guess, because our opinions vary quite a bit.

The ceremony will be live on March 15th at 7pm ET on ABC, and available to stream live with a Hulu subscription. There are sure to be some surprises, but we’ve done our best to predict what we think will happen (though not necessarily our personal choices). We’ll start with the Best Screenplay Awards and work our way towards our pick for Best Picture, hitting all the acting awards and Best Director along the way. Each of our picks will be in bold among the list of nominees.

Best Adapted Screenplay

• Will Tracy for Bugonia
• Guillermo del Toro for Frankenstein
• Maggie O'Farrell and Chloe Zhao for Hamnet
• Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another – Our Predicted Winner
• Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar for Train Dreams

In our staff poll, the Best Adapted Screenplay choice is perhaps the most divisive. All five nominees were favored by at least one writer, and it was quite close between Hamnet, Frankenstein, and One Battle After Another. This highlights just how tricky this task can be, because it’s easy to make a case for any of the five. Ultimately, in a very tight poll, Paul Thomas Anderson came out on top for One Battle After Another.

Best Original Screenplay

• Robert Kaplow for Blue Moon
• Jafar Panahi and Nader Saivar for It Was Just An Accident
• Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein for Marty Supreme
• Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt for Sentimental Value
• Ryan Coogler for Sinners – Our Predicted Winner

Sinners set the record this year for the most Oscar nominations for a film ever, with 16, including this nomination for writer Ryan Coogler. The momentum for Sinners has only been growing as this very long awards season has gone on (thanks, Olympics). While the staff pick wasn’t as close as it was for Adapted, there was quite a bit of support for Marty Supreme and Sentimental Value, but in the end, Sinners came out on top. This isn’t quite a slam dunk, but it’s the most definitive of the five awards that weren’t easy picks for us.

Best Supporting Actor

• Benicio del Toro for One Battle After Another
• Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein
• Sean Penn for One Battle After Another
• Delroy Lindo for Sinners – Our Predicted Winner
• Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value

This race has been truly all over the place. Del Toro started the season strong with a string of critics' awards, Elordi won at the Critics' Choice, Skarsgård won the Golden Globe, and Penn has come on strong late with wins at BAFTA and the Actor Awards (formerly The SAG Awards). Four of the five nominees were picked by at least two writers each, and though Lindo hasn’t really been in the conversation until very late, on the strength of Sinners and his amazing performance, he is a real contender now. In fact, he is now the frontrunner, in our opinion.

Best Supporting Actress

• Elle Fanning for Sentimental Value
• Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Sentimental Value
• Amy Madigan for Weapons
• Wunmi Mosaku for Sinners
• Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another – Our Predicted Winner

Like Best Supporting Actor, the race for Best Supporting Actress has been a wild ride, but it seems to have come down to three: Madigan, Mosaku, and Taylor. Each of the three has taken home awards this season, and while our choice ultimately had quite a bit of support, it’s impossible to rule out one of the other two women winning. Two months ago, it seemed like Taylor was going to sweep the season, but Madigan and Mosaku clearly have a lot of momentum as we get to the end here. We still think Taylor is the favorite for One Battle After Another, but just barely. Madigan and Mosaku are considered the favorites by quite a few folks around here.

Best Actor

• Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme – Our Predicted Winner
• Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another
• Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon
• Michael B. Jordan for Sinners
• Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent

Now this is a fascinating race, and CinemaBlend’s poll reflects that. We asked the staff to name both who they would vote for and who they think will win. While the majority of staff have predicted Chalamet to win, a huge majority picked Michael B. Jordan as who they would have voted for, personally. It’s safe to say the race is between these two, and, in full disclosure, much of our polling took place before Jordan won at the Actor Awards. There seems to be a late surge happening in favor of the Sinners star. It would not surprise anyone if he takes home the Oscar, but we predict that Chalamet will win in what could be a historic victory.

Best Actress

• Jessie Buckley for Hamnet – Our Predicted Winner
• Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
• Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue
• Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value
• Emma Stone for Bugonia

Here’s where we’re getting to the Oscars that everyone on staff is most confident about in our predictions. In fact, in the Best Actress race, there haven’t been any surprises at all leading up to the Oscars. Jessie Buckley has completely swept the awards leading up to this Sunday, and there is no reason at all to think that will change at the Academy Awards. Buckley’s performance in Hamnet is incredible, and it’s hard to imagine anyone sneaking in and winning this over her. Stone and Byrne did receive some support from the CinemaBlend staff, but an overwhelming majority picked Buckley to win Best Actress.

Best Director

• Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another – Our Predicted Winner
• Ryan Coogler for Sinners
• Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme
• Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value
• Chloe Zhao for Hamnet

Like Best Actor, the race for Best Director comes down to two men, Ryan Coogler and Paul Thomas Anderson. All season long, the general consensus is that this is PTA’s time and he’s going to walk away with the win. Our prediction is no different, as a huge majority of our staff believe that this is Anderson’s award to lose. Could he, though? Well, interestingly, yeah, he could. As with Michael B. Jordan, when we ask the staff for their favorite, most picked Coogler as their personal choice, even if almost everyone still predicted PTA to win.

Best Picture

• Bugonia
• F1: The Movie
• Frankenstein
• Hamnet
• Marty Supreme
• One Battle After Another – Our Predicted Winner
• Sentimental Value
• Sinners
• Train Dreams
• The Secret Agent

It has gotten trickier and trickier to predict Best Picture over the years. Sure, there are times like two years ago when everyone pretty much knew that Oppenheimer was going to take home the biggest prize of the night. But then there are ones like last year when Anora came on very strong at the end of awards season, but was a little bit of a dark horse on Oscar night. This year could be either.

The strong consensus of the CinemaBlend staff is that One Battle After Another will win Best Picture, but as in a couple of categories, a majority of the staff picked Sinners as their personal favorite. This isn’t surprising, after all, Sinners was our choice for the best movie of 2025. The late momentum for Sinners has turned this award into a real nail-biter, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see Ryan Coogler on stage accepting the award at the end of the night. However, as a group, we have to stick with our prediction, given that all but three staff members picked One Battle to win (interestingly, the other votes all went to Hamnet).

You can go to our list of the 98th Academy Awards nominees to see who could win in every category, including all the technical ones, and everything else. Other than KPop Demon Hunters winning Best Animated Feature and “Golden” from that movie winning Best Song (sorry again, Diane Warren) being pretty much foregone conclusions, there are close races in every single category.

Keep an eye out for our live blog as well, as we will be reacting along with everyone else when the winners are announced.

Ryan Coogler is one of the busiest people in Hollywood. The success of Sinners was overwhelming, and now the filmmaker is in the midst of a huge Oscar campaign for the film. However, don’t think fans have forgotten the impending Black Panther 3. The Marvel film is still top-of-mind for MCU fans who loved the initial installments, which featured Michael B. Jordan, Angela Bassett, and the late Chadwick Boseman. Now, it seems like another star from the Coogler-verse wants to join the director on the third Black Panther film, and it needs to happen.

Delroy Lindo opened up about his long acting career, despite the fact that attention for his work hasn’t been as prominent as it should be with THR. He was amazing in movies like Crooklyn and Malcom X before his memorable turn in Sinners, which made him a 2026 Academy Award nominee. Now, Lindo is riding the high and doesn’t want it to end just yet, especially if it means working with Coogler again. He said he expressed interest to the filmmaker in joining the Black Panther cast for the third movie, explaining:

I totally respect this, too. To many people, Delroy Lindo is a new face in Hollywood, but he has actually had a long, storied career. He has popped up in small roles over the years, but these roles have been pivotal and in demand of an actor like Lindo to truly give them dimension. He is a seasoned actor who deserves respect in the form of a great part. Coogler clearly knows this, and he only would bring Lindo on if he had something that was deserving of an actor like Lindo.

However, as a fan, I totally want to see Lindo join Black Panther 3. The end of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever raises a lot of questions. We don’t know what will happen with characters like M’Baku and his potential future leadership of a new Wakanda, despite Shuri being the Black Panther. We also don’t know how the events of the second film will change Wakanda’s stature in the world.

These questions give a lot of room for opportunity for new characters to shine. I could totally see Lindo playing a potential mentor to Shuri, or an influential world figure who creates conflict for Wakanda. The possibilities are endless, and Lino’s enthusiasm is promising.

The more I think about it, bringing Lindo into Black Panther 3 feels like a choice that could elevate the franchise even further. I understand Coogler wants to be intentional when it comes to his collaborators, but I can’t think of a collaboration more worth pursuing again. Lindo’s interest here also speaks to the director's prowess as a filmmaker, and how enjoyable of an experience it was working with him on Sinners. It will be a while before Black Panther 3 comes into fruition, but I will certainly be keeping an eye on casting announcements.

In the meantime, you can check out Delroy Lindo in his recent Ryan Coogler collaboration, Sinners, which is currently streaming with an HBO Max subscription. Fans can also revisit both Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever now with a Disney+ subscription.

Awards Season is in full swing, and all eyes are on the biggest event: the 98th Academy Awards. The 2026 Oscar nominations were revealed in January, and Ryan Coogler's Sinners (which is streaming with an HBO Max subscription) made history as the most nominated film ever. Coogler got a Best Director nod, and recently got real about being one of the few Black filmmakers to get honored in that way. Let's break it all down.

Sinners was widely considered one of the best movies of 2025, as well as one of the best horror movies in recent history. It's record-breaking Oscar nominations feel right, but in an interview with Variety, Coogler spoke about what those types of statistics mean to him. In his words:

This makes a great deal of sense. While it's thrilling that Coogler has gotten his first Best Director nomination, he's aware of how few Black filmmakers have been honored in this way. In fact, he's only the seventh Black Director to earn this type of Oscar nomination. He follows the footsteps of visionaries like Lee Daniels, Spike Lee, Jordan Peele and more.

If Ryan Coogler nabs a Best Director Oscar at the Academy Awards in March, he'd be the very first Black filmmaker to pull out the W. The pressure is certainly on, as he could make history during the ceremony. Later in the same interview he wen ton to speak about how few Black directors have been recognized by the Film Academy, saying:

Some serious points have been made. While there's been discussion about the lack of diversity during Awards Season, such as the #OscarsSoWhite movement, the lack of nominations for Black filmmakers doesn't take away from the quality of their work.

While Ryan Coogler's Sinners has already broken Academy Award records for its whopping 16 nominations, ultimately the filmmaker doesn't think that to be the real point of his job. As he put it:

Talk about a great perspective. While Coogler has the potential to take home a number of Oscars at this year's Academy Awards, he feels privileged to even have his job in the first place. There's creative satisfaction, as well as knowing that he's creating opportunities for actors and crew members.

Sinners is streaming now on HBO Max, and we'll find out if it takes home an Oscars when the Academy Awards air March 15th as part of the 2026 movie release list.

Ryan Coogler stunned the world last year with the release of the horror/crime epic Sinners, and while the movie has been lauded as an incredible piece of modern original filmmaking, it’s also noteworthy that the writer/director was not shy about sharing his inspirations – including From Dusk Till Dawn, Salem’s Lot, No Country For Old Men and The Thing. Along with his own sensibilities and ideas, he synthesized special elements from all of those titles in the making of his 2025 feature, and that leaves me extremely intrigued to hear his aspirations to tell a story within the romantic comedy space a la the Rob Reiner classic When Harry Met Sally.

Coogler spoke about this idea in a Deadline interview alongside Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku and Delroy Lindo – all of whom are up for major awards at the upcoming Oscars ceremony. When the conversation turned to exploring spaces previously untouched in his experience, the filmmaker explained that he hopes to make a wide variety of movies in what he hopes is a very long career:

With his first five movies, Ryan Coogler has gotten to make an intimate drama (Fruitvale Station), a sports movie (Creed), a pair of superhero blockbusters (Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) and most recently the aforementioned horror/crime blend in Sinners. But he is a movie-lover who loves all kinds of movies, and he doesn’t want to limit himself as a storyteller.

As far as specifics, he cited his very real interest in making a romantic comedy, and he cited When Harry Met Sally as an influence on a big picture scale. In addition to being remembered for its humor and the wonderful chemistry between Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, the film has staked a place in pop culture history for its examination of male-female friendships, and Coogler noted the immortality of its subject matter while paying tribute to the recently departed Rob Reiner:

We have seen romance in Ryan Coogler’s work – Michael B. Jordan forging memorable on-screen relationships with Wunmi Mosaku, Hailee Steinfeld, and Tessa Thompson in Sinners and Creed – but comedy would be a mostly fresh arena for the filmmaker (excluding the moments of levity that are featured in all of his movies). That being said, recognizing the man’s extreme talent, I have zero doubt that the man could make a rom com that is equally sweet, meaningful and hilarious.

We’ll have to wait and see what ultimately develops on the rom-com front for Coogler, and it may be a minute: in addition to developing a third Black Panther movie for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he is also now working on a X-Files reboot for Disney+/Hulu subscribers that just got a pilot order and is set to star Danielle Deadwyler.

If you've been wanting to believe that the long-developing reboot of The X-Files would finally make some progress with Ryan Coogler, you're in for some good news. The project just took a big step forward with regard to who is involved and where it would release. It's enough to make me want to spend the rest of the 2026 TV schedule crossing my fingers for two cameos from the original series to go along with a full series order. (Just not David Duchovny as Mulder or Gillian Anderson as Scully.)

The Return Of The X-Files

Ahead the Academy Awards for which Ryan Coogler's Sinners earned a record-setting number of Oscars nominations, Deadline reports that Hulu has ordered a pilot for his reboot of the classic '90s series. The platform makes sense as the home for a new installment in the franchise; even though Pluto TV is the free streaming home of the original, I can vouch that a Hulu subscription is a great way to watch all eleven seasons.

Coogler is on board to write and direct the pilot, as well as serve as an executive producer along with original series creator Chris Carter. Jennifer Yale, who has worked elsewhere on television on projects like Outlander and Legion, will be the showrunner if the pilot scores a series order. And that's not even all the good news.

One of the new leads has been cast: Danielle Deadwyler, most recently seen in a Season 4 episode of The Bear and part of the cast of The Woman in the Yard. While there's no reason at the time of writing to expect that she'll be a carbon copy of one of the classic characters, the plot of the pilot will be familiar to existing fans.

According to the outlet, two very different but highly decorated FBI agents are assigned to a division that focuses on cases with unexplained phenomena. The division has been shuttered for a long time, and the two agents will form a bond over their assignment. (There's no sign of any mysteriously vanished sisters or cigarette-smoking men at this stage.)

It certainly doesn't sound like we're in for a full reboot with Deadwyler and her co-lead as a recast Mulder and Scully, and the point that they're opening a division that's been closed for a while makes me think that Coogler's project is set in the OG X-Files universe, years after the divisive final season (and somewhat ridiculous series finale) ended in 2018. Sign me up!

The Two Perfect Cameos From The Original Series

Look, I love David Duchovny's Mulder and Gillian Anderson's Scully as much as anybody, and I have a list of the best X-Files episodes from their era that I'm down to revisit whenever I'm in the mood for something spooky. But there's a reason why I've never been bitter about Gillian Anderson's comments about only "perhaps" returning as Scully despite praising Ryan Coogler as the "perfect person" to bring back the story.

The series finale – a.k.a. the Season 11 finale – ended on a pretty bizarre note for Scully that left me hoping that Chris Carter would just retcon everything again to undo it in the event of a Season 12. Perhaps it's best to leave Mulder and Scully's fates to our imaginations, safely off screen. But there are two cameos that I would absolutely adore, and one of them is from the later seasons.

I would love to see Robert Patrick turn up as Agent John Doggett. The character holds a special place in my heart after he joined in Season 8, because Patrick was so good that it only took a couple of episodes for me to go from "Get rid of this guy and bring back Mulder!" to "Let's keep Doggett forever."

Notably, Doggett wasn't brought back for either revival season, so a reboot wouldn't have to deal with any ending other than the one he received in the Season 9 finale back in 2002. Plus, Robert Patrick named Doggett as his favorite role to play. How could I not want him back?

And the second person I'd like to see back is none other than Assistant Director Skinner, played by Mitch Pileggi in all eleven seasons and both movies. He did get some questionable plot twists in the two revival seasons, and the finale ended on what appeared to be his death.

My personal belief has always been that he survived, but an appearance in the reboot would be a nice confirmation. The Skinman also deserves to work with a pair of agents who might test his blood pressure less than Mulder and Scully, circa Season 11.

All of this said, Hulu has only given Ryan Coogler's project a pilot order, so there's no guarantee that it will be ordered to series. Still, there are plenty of reasons to be excited now, and my eyes are going to be peeled for who is cast as the co-lead opposite Danielle Deadwyler.

For all that some of the fun of The X-Files came from the spookiness, monsters, and conspiracies, there's no way fans would have stayed as attached for as long if not for the chemistry between Mulder and Scully. Hopefully we'll get that again on Hulu, and who better to trust than the Academy Award-nominated Ryan Coogler?

While it seems clear that Paramount isn’t done fighting to make a deal to buy Warner Bros., all signs point toward Netflix taking control of the century-old movie studio. There are a lot of reasons to be wary of the future for WB, and Ryan Coogler is one of the people who has now admitted the situation is far from perfect.

Coogler directed last year’s Sinners for Warner Bros., a movie that achieved the rare level of success that sees both box office bank and Oscar nominations. It was also a unique film in the way that Coogler secured the rights to the project with the studio. Perhaps Coogler was thinking about that when he told THR that the Netflix purchase of Warner Bros was, being polite with his language, to be sure, “not ideal.” Coogler said…

While Coogler was asked specifically about Netflix buying Warner Bros., his statement would likely ring just as true if Paramount actually succeeds in its hostile takeover bid. Either way, the number of big studios making movies will be reduced by one, meaning fewer projects, fewer jobs and fewer opportunities for everybody involved in the entertainment industry.

Ryan Coogler’s comments echo many others within Hollywood who have spoken about Warner Bros. future. There really is no “good option” in the eyes of many, as either option removes Warner Bros. as an independent studio in much the same way Disney’s acquisition of Fox did in 2019.

One major difference between the two may include how Warner Bros. movies are handled theatrically. While Netflix has continued to reassure investors, as well as movie fans, that it has no plans to reduce the number of WB movies going to theaters, Netflix business model has always been streaming first. So not everybody is certain that Netflix’s announced plans won’t eventually change.

If there's an upside to any of this, it may be that between Paramount's continued efforts to acquire Warner Bros., and the simple fact that a purchase of this size will take a long time, any changes won't be happening too quickly. In the interim, anything could happen, and if current trends have shown us anything, it's that the entertainment industry landscape is changing quickly.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly releasing new content, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Folks who have been watching the Marvel movies in order know that some properties stand out as fan favorites, chief among them being Ryan Coogler's Black Panther movies. The director offered two takeaways from the release of the sequel Wakanda Forever, and one of them truly surprised me. Let's break it all down.

Wakanda continues to be an important part of the MCU, and it'll seemingly be featured in the upcoming Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday. And while fans are looking forward to Coogler's developing threequel, the Oscar-nominated director spoke to THR about the first sequel, offering:

The resilience part makes a great deal of sense. After all, Chadwick Boseman's death put the original plans for Black Panther 2. The story had to be completely reworked, and the cast and crew filmed the project while in the throes of grief. But I was really surprised to hear the Wakanda Forever is more popular on streaming than the original movie. Mind blown.

The original Black Panther became an Oscar-nominated sensation upon its release in 2018, performing well with critics as well as at the box office. Chadwick Boseman's character quickly turned into a fan favorite, and he became a real-life hero to young Black fans in the audience. And while Wakanda Forever was also wildly successful, I didn't expect it to be the more popular of the two over on Disney+. But perhaps this is due to the characters being established, and audiences also having strong feelings about Boseman. After all, that title is a meditation on grief first, and a superhero movie second.

It should be fascinating to see what Ryan Coogler brings to a third movie, and how it might change the order of streaming popularity. Not much is known about what he's bringing to the table, although Denzel Washington revealed that a role is being written for him in Black Panther 3. But the timeline of its development and release remains unclear.

As previously mentioned, a number of Black Panther characters ill appear as part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast, including Letitia Wright's Shuri, Winston Duke's M'Baku, and Tenoch Huerta's Namor. It should be interesting to see how they factor into the multiversal story, and how it influences the threequel.

The Black Panther movies are streaming on Disney+, and Avengers: Doomsday will hit theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Clearly Wakanda is here to stay. I guess you can say it'll be around Forever.

Just last week, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners became not only the most decorated movie among 2026 Oscar nominees, but the most nominated movie of all time. It sweetens a landmark deal that the writer/director made prior to filming the vampire flick, which gives him complete ownership of Sinners in 25 years. A lot of Hollywood has been talking about Coogler’s deal lately, including Ben Affleck, who got honest about his thoughts on the move.

Along with being a big star in Hollywood, Ben Affleck is an accomplished writer, director and producer too, having been behind the scenes on movies like Good Will Hunting, The Town, Argo and more. Here’s what he had to say about Coogler’s Sinners deal:

Affleck definitely isn’t the first big name to applaud Coogler for his deal with Warner Bros, which was made in 2024, prior to the movie starting production. Spike Lee also called it a “smart move,” citing that the only movie he owns from his filmography is She’s Gotta Have It.

Tyler Perry has also said that he actually called Coogler following Black Panther and walked him through how to make the kind of deal he eventually made with Sinners.

Speaking a bit more about this deal, Affleck continued:

Coogler will be in his sixties once Sinners gets handed over to him, which could make for a nice retirement for the visionary filmmaker, depending on the value of the movie by that time. Affleck, who has been in the movie business for 45 years, certainly thinks he made a solid deal that could make him quite a bit of money down the line while on the All The Smoke podcast. He also said this:

Time will certainly tell, but as one veteran entertainment and technology attorney, Jonathan Handel, commented before on the deal, Coogler is “rolling the dice” regarding the deal. As far as things have gone so far between its commercial appeal and critical praise, the filmmaker's bet on himself certainly seems like it will be worthwhile.

Perhaps the next question regarding this conversation is whether more big filmmakers with original ideas will try to walk in his footsteps and succeed, or not. Currently, Coogler’s deal is a rather rare one in Hollywood, but it could really shake the industry up.

Since its release last year, Sinners has toppled box office records, become a cultural phenomenon, and become the first movie to receive 16 Academy Award nominations. You would think there is nothing else for Ryan Coogler’s socially-conscious vampire movie to do, right? Well, you’d be wrong because one of last year’s best movies has gotten an A+ popcorn bucket, and I want it.

AMC Theatres and Proximity Media have teamed up for one killer popcorn bucket for the rerelease of Sinners following all those Academy Award nominations. Let me tell you, this thing is a work of art and stands above just about every other iteration released so far, even that eye-popping Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning container that came out last summer. I mean, just look at this piece of movie memorabilia in all its glory.

Looking a whole lot like something Samuel “Sammie” Moore (Miles Caton) would put his guitar in while playing blues in the delta before taking on an army of River-dancing vampires, this massive popcorn bucket (if you can call it that) is just amazing. Sure, it’s probably not the best way to eat popcorn in the middle of a packed movie house, but can you imagine the looks on everyone’s faces when you sat down with this spread out across your lap? It pretty much sells itself.

There are so many different directions Proximity Media could have taken when designing a popcorn bucket that captures the heart and soul of Sinners, but I think this was the right call. Considering so much of the movie deals with the experiences and lessons learned by Sammie, aka "Preacherboy," on the “best day” of his life, as well as the horror flick’s handling of the delta blues, it just works.

I mean, they could have made a bucket with Remmick’s (Jack O’Connell) face where you had to reach into his mouth, but that’d be a little much. They could have even made a little fiddle case to honor the violent and mysterious Irish vampire and his choice of songs. That said, if I were to get this, I’d make sure to sprinkle some garlic salt on my popcorn just to be safe.

Interestingly enough, Sinners isn’t the only Oscar nominee with a popcorn bucket, as A24 and Regal have put out a very on-brand Marty Supreme container since the Timothée Chalamet “sports” drama came out. While the orange ping-pong ball isn’t as intense as the viral NSFW Dune: Part II bucket released back in 2024, I can’t keep my eyes off it. I also found one for F1, but I can’t say the same for the rest of the Best Picture contenders.

Though it’s probably too late to grab this popcorn bucket without forking over a ton of cash on eBay, you can still catch Sinners on the big screen, as the popular 2025 horror flick is currently back in theaters ahead of the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026. However, you can also catch the movie streaming with an HBO Max subscription.

Ryan Coogler is one of the hottest directors in Hollywood right now. Coming off the incredible success of Sinners, Coogler is riding higher than ever before. The director says he’s not taking these moments for granted, something he credits his Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman with teaching him. That wisdom all came during a time Coogler said he was constantly afraid he was going to get fired.

Ryan Coogler recently appeared on the Good Hang with Amy Poehler podcast, and the topic turned to Chadwick Boseman. Coogler talks about the fun they would have on set, despite the director being incredibly “stressed out” by the production. He says Boseman taught him to be more present in the moment and enjoy the times he had. Coogler recalled…

It’s hard to imagine Ryan Coogler dealing with imposter syndrome. His talent as a director has been clearly on display since the first time he directed Michael B. Jordan in Fruitvale Station. Coogler’s star would rise quickly after that but, perhaps, it rose a bit more quickly than he was comfortable with.

Black Panther was the biggest movie ever in the careers of both Ryan Coogler and Chadwick Boseman at the time it was made. It would not surprise anybody if both had been nothing but balls of stress that entire time. However, it seems that Boseman was much more collected, which allowed him to help his director enormously. Apparently, Coogler was constantly in fear of being fired from the film, but Boseman made a keen assurance to his collaborator. Coogler continued…

Today, Ryan Coogler is making deals with Warner Bros. that might change the way that directors work with studios for decades. He not only made one of the most successful original movies in years, but he's changing the industry. Nevermind that he made Black Panther -- one of the biggest movies in one of the biggest franchises ever. It's a really good thing he was never fired, because cinema would be poorer without Ryan Coogler.

We also certainly lost a talented actor when Chadwick Boseman passed away, but we clearly also lost a great man, who truly understood how to enjoy life and who made his friends better. Check out Boseman's work, including Black Panther, which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription.

It's a great time to be a horror fan, as the genre has been thriving for years. 2025 was certainly no exception, with titles like Ryan Coogler's Sinners among some of the best horror movies in recent memory. The vampire movie, which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription, was a massive hit, and Remmick actor Jack O'Connell recently spoke to CinemaBlend about the project's wild success.

Sinners crushed at the box office, and is a favorite for Awards Season, recently winning the Golden Globe for Cinematic Achievement. Jack O'Connell has another scary role coming with the upcoming horror movie 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and while speaking with him about his role in the Nia DaCosta's sequel, I asked how he feel about beloved Sinners, including his performance and song "The Rocky Road to Dublin." He told me:

Points were made. Ryan Coogler has a stellar reputation, thanks to his projects like Creed and the Black Panther movies (which are streaming with a Disney+ subscription). So in retrospect, it makes total sense that folks turned out at theaters to help make Sinners such a success story. Still, O'Connell seems to find it hopeful the way that so many people saw the horror flick in theaters ahead of it becoming available to stream.

Sinners was a hit with critics and audiences alike, with the movie getting praise for its emotional story, stunning visuals, and terrifying vampire battles. Sinners' ending also provided an emotional gut punch, with most of the undead being killed off, leaving just Stack and Mary to go through decades together.

Sinners has also made the rounds online, with folks creating content about moments like Grace Chow's decision to let the vampires in. Additionally Jack O'Connell's performance in "The Rocky Road to Dublin" has also been made into countless memes and TikToks, thanks to what a bop that traditional Irish song is... especially while a mob of undead is dancing to it in front of the Juke Joint. Overall, the horror flick has really pierced the pop culture landscape, and it should be interesting to see what other trophies it takes home this Awards Season.

As previously mentioned, Jack O'Connell is once again playing a horror villain in Nia DaCosta's 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. The movie directly catches up with Ralph Fiennes' Kelson and Alfie Williams' Spike and directly following the events of the last movie, which saw the latter character adopted by a cult of violent Satanists called The Jimmys. O'Connell's Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal is the terrifying leader of this violent group, and he'll once again bring horror (and laughs) to audiences as a result.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple will hit theaters on January 16th as part of the 2026 movie release list. In the meantime, Jack O'Connell's work in Sinners can be re-watched over on HBO Max.

Ryan Coogler has directed five movies, and with the exception of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (where he only cameoed), Michael B. Jordan has led them all. Sinners is their latest collaboration, with Jordan starring in one of the best movies of 2025 as twin brothers Smoke and Stack. The actor’s dual performances has among the many reasons Sinners has been met with many accolades, including being recognized among the 2026 Golden Globe nominations, and Coogler has now discussed how Jordan “challenged” him while they were making the horror movie.

During his discussion with fellow filmmaker Spike Lee for Variety’s Directors on Directors series, Ryan Coogler talked about his professional relationship with Michael B. Jordan and how it “started to make a lot of sense” for him to play twins in Sinners. Coogler thought it was “interesting” for an actor to “whose superpower is the audience is always with him” to play a “coldhearted killer” and a “manipulator.” When Lee noted that Coogler “flipped the script,” he responded:

In Sinners, Smoke and Stack are World War I veterans who spent seven years up to no good in Chicago, then returned to their hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi with money they’d stolen from criminal syndicates to purchase a saw mill and turn it into a juke joint. Both brothers have a lot of blood on their hands, but like Ryan Coogler said, Michael B. Jordan was up for the daunting task of making them both likable. When Spike Lee inquired about how specifically Jordan challenged him, Coogler shared this:

Stack was turned into a vampire by Hailee Steinfeld's Mary at roughly the halfway point of Sinners, and it eventually reached the point where Smoke had no choice but to bring an end to his now-bloodthirsty brother. Of course, it’s later revealed that Smoke didn’t actually kill Stack, but allowed him to go free if he agreed to let their cousin Sammie live the rest of his life in peace. However, that doesn’t take away from the emotional impact of when we initially think one twin is holding the other as he dies, not to mention the difficulty of Michael B. Jordan having to play both sides of the scene. Ryan Coogler added when Spike Lee asked if that was “done the same day”:

That seems to be going well so far, because just like Sinners, Fruitvale Station, Creed and Black Panther were all positively received. While Ryan Coogler made it clear there won’t be a Sinners sequel, we don’t need to worry about him and Michael B. Jordan not continuing to work together. The question now is, how will they challenge each other on their next project?

As we wait to find out what that next project will be, tune into the 83rd Golden Globe Awards this Sunday to see how Michael B. Jordan fares in the Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, among the six other categories Sinners has been nominated in. You can also still easily stream the movie with an HBO Max subscription.

The entertainment community is still reeling from the tragic deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, last month. Many celebrities have shared their reactions and tributes to the couple in the weeks following their passing, including Jamie Lee Curtis and Cary Elwes. Sinners writer and director Ryan Coogler is the latest to do this, as he recently talked about how his heart broke upon learning what happened to Reiner.

Coogler shared his thoughts on the late actor and filmmaker while speaking with Extra at the Critics Choice Awards 2026 red carpet. Although he and Rob Reiner never had the chance to work together, the creative mind behind movies like Creed and Black Panther shared how meaningful Reiner’s movies meant to him growing up, particularly a certain 1989 romantic comedy:

When Harry Met Sally… still ranks as one of the best romantic comedies over 35 years after its release for good reason. Whether we’re talking about people who’ve been repeatedly watching it over the decades to folks who recently watched it for the first time, the Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan-led feature has all kinds of fans, including Ryan Coogler. It makes me wonder if he agrees that When Harry Met Sally… is a New Year’s movie.

But that’s just one entry on Rob Reiner’s filmography that Coogler grew up enjoying, and he remains impressed by how well the All in the Family alum was able to tell compelling cinematic stories. In his words:

It’s a shame that Ryan Coogler and Rob Reiner’s paths never crossed, as I’m sure the former would have appreciated the opportunity to tell the latter how much his work has meant to him. Who knows, maybe they even would figured out how to collaborate on a project. It’s no wonder Reiner’s death hit Coogler so hard.

Rob Reiner’s final movie ended up being last September’s Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, which, as with its predecessor, he wrote and starred in alongside Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer. A few months before its release, he also guest starred as in The Bear Season 4 as Albert Schnur, a business consultant who ended up being more important to the Hulu subscription-exclusive series than I originally thought. Other popular Reiner movies include Stand by Men, Misery (which can now be streamed on Peacock) and A Few Good Men.

As for Ryan Coogler, Sinners ended up being one of the most critically-acclaimed movies of 2025 and made a respectable $368 million worldwide off a budget somewhere in the $90-100 million range. The vampire flick can be streamed with an HBO Max subscription, and Coogler is turning his attention to Black Panther 3 next, which doesn’t have a release date on the upcoming Marvel movies schedule yet.

Cinephiles would be hard pressed to find a film from 2025 that’s sparked more discussions than the acclaimed Sinners. Ryan Coogler’s vampire epic is proving to be far more than a popular movie, as it’s become a true pop culture phenomenon. There’s so much to love about the motion picture, from its quieter moments to its audacious musical sequences fit for the cinema. I really enjoyed Coogler’s latest feature, and I was surprised to learn that one of his actors had to convince him not to cut down one of my favorite scenes.

Sinners’ ensemble cast has many stand-outs, and someone who deserves a considerable amount of praise is Delroy Lindo, who plays drunken blues player Delta Slim. While Slim serves as a comic relief, though there’s way more to them than meets the eye, as a part of his backstory is truly tragic. That’s revealed when he calls out to a chain gang and proceeds to recall being imprisoned alongside a friend (who’s later killed by the Ku Klux Klan). While talking to THR, Lindo recalled learning that much of that had been cut:

Delta’s monologue about he and his friend being plucked from jail to play for a group of rich, white Southerners includes some tinges of humor. However, watching the character try not to break down while recalling how the KKK later framed his buddy for murder and got him lynched is truly sobering. All of that – paired with Slim’s attempt to encourage a chain gang he, Sammie and Elias “Stack” Moore pass in a field – makes this one of Sinners’ most heartbreaking scenes, and I can’t stop thinking about it.

So it’s definitely surprising to me that Ryan Coogler’s initial cut of the film cut down Slim’s speech and removed the chain gang moment. Despite that, Delroy Lindo believes Coogler was aware of the power that this particular portion of the film could hold and explained why:

At the present, the restoration of the scene isn’t the only element that the Malcolm X star now finds gratifying. He’s also pleased with the way in which audience members like myself have embraced the scene:

Overall, the scene represents just one portion of Delroy Lindo’s stellar performance in Sinners, which has received several 2026 Golden Globe nominations as well as 17 nods from the Critics’ Choice Awards. Unfortunately, Lindo’s been snubbed by the major awards associations and, I’m really hoping that turns around soon. Of course, even if the actor doesn’t receive any hardware, I take comfort in knowing that his performance – including the full monologue scene – will remain intact for years to come.

Anyone who’s yet to see Sinners – or is just eager to rewatch it – can stream the film now using an HBO Max subscription.

Ryan Coogler just had a massive 2025 with Sinners, an original genre film that was the rare kind of movie to become a commercial success. The vampire drama has also been acclaimed and is now positioned as key player in this year’s awards season. (And it also made it to the top of CinemaBlend’s best 2025 movies list). So, considering that success with an original feature, why is Coogler's next movie Black Panther 3? The filmmaker was just asked that very question, and he humorously dropped an F-bomb while answering.

Back in November, Coogler shared that his next film would be Black Panther 3 , though as far as we know, it hasn't earned a release date among upcoming Marvel movies. The fan-favorite director recently shared a passionate response when asked about why he's venturing into the world of Wakanda yet again:

Ryan Coogler’s comments were shared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast after Josh Horowitz asked the director why he’d go back to the franchise after proving he doesn’t need an IP to make a successful movie. As can be seen above, the 39-year-old filmmaker shared that he’s returning to Black Panther because he’s excited about what stories he can tell, rather than focusing on what he can “prove” to anyone else. As he continued:

In the interview, Coogler also shared that he’s “got this movie on [his] heart” above anything else. Per his response, he’s not doing it for the paycheck or because Black Panther has historically done well commercially. Instead, he’s genuinely interested in continuing the stories he began. Oh, and he said he’s going to be the “happiest” person on the planet come the day he gets to direct Denzel Washington in whatever role he writes for him after the actor broke the Internet by announcing he’d be in it.

In the same breath, the Creed helmer also shared that he has enjoyed the opportunity to “prove” things to himself over the course of his career. He brought up the example of how Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was essentially about “powerful Black women who were grappling with grief while also doing incredibly important jobs and also starring indigenous Meso-American people." With that job, Coogler had a “good time” showing such a film could make over $800 million at the worldwide box office. But, as he pointed out, that’s not why he was making it.

Rumor has it that Black Panther 3’s release window is February 2028, but we’ll have to continue to follow Ryan Coogler to learn where he’s at with the production. It’s also worth noting that Coogler is also working on an X-Files reboot right now, too.

Marvel Studios’ slate is currently thin, with there being three official upcoming movies on the calendar to round out the Multiverse Saga, Spider-Man Brand New Day (coming this summer), Avengers: Doomsday (out this December) and Avengers: Secret Wars (hitting theaters in December 2027). I can’t wait to see what Coogler cooks up and how he adds to the lore surrounding Wakanda.

Years after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arrived in theaters as both a sequel and a farewell, Ryan Coogler is offering one of his most candid accounts yet of how limited the creative process was before Chadwick Boseman's death. The comments paint a sobering picture of a production that barely had time to begin before tragedy halted everything.

Coogler opened up during a recent conversation on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, a clip of which was later shared to Instagram. In it, the Fruitvale Station filmmaker explained that Boseman’s health had declined to the point where he was physically unable to read the sequel’s script. The admission underscores just how limited the creative process was on Wakanda Forever before Boseman passed away in August 2020. As Coogler put it:

That detail adds important context to a question fans have debated for years: how much of Wakanda Forever was actually designed with Chadwick Boseman in mind? According to Coogler, while a script did exist, Boseman’s condition meant the sequel was never truly in motion. As the Oakland native put it, it simply “wasn’t going to happen” in the way they had originally hoped. As a result, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had to be rebuilt almost entirely from the ground up, moving forward without its star and emotional center.

The Black Panther moviemaker has spoken before about the grief that followed Boseman’s passing, but this latest reflection underscores just how sudden and destabilizing the loss was on a deeply personal level. In the same conversation, he admitted how hard it hit him to learn what Boseman had thought of him, saying:

Boseman had kept his illness largely private, even from collaborators, and continued working whenever he could. That he never reached a point where he could fully engage with the sequel’s script highlights how quickly his condition worsened behind the scenes.

For Marvel Studios, the question of whether to recast T’Challa became one of the most difficult decisions in the history of the MCU. Ultimately, Coogler and the studio chose to let Boseman’s take on Black Panther rest, reshaping Wakanda Forever into a story centered on mourning and legacy. Characters like Shuri, Queen Ramonda, and Namor stepped into the spotlight, allowing the film to process loss both within the narrative and for the people making it.

The Creed helmer has previously described making the film as one of the hardest experiences of his career. The director has repeatedly said he considered walking away entirely, unsure whether continuing without the late T'Challa actor was even possible. It was encouragement from Boseman’s family and the cast that ultimately convinced him to keep going, with the understanding that the film would serve as a tribute rather than a replacement.

Those feelings carried through the entire production, something the cast has echoed repeatedly since the film’s release. Speaking around the time of the premiere, Lupita Nyong'o said the story deliberately embraced the real grief the cast was experiencing.

Danai Gurira described the sequel as being “grounded in him and rooted in the power of his spirit,” pointing to Boseman’s leadership and generosity as something that never left the set. Coogler carried that presence with him in a very literal way, wearing a necklace bearing Boseman’s image throughout filming as a reminder of what the movie was meant to honor. That influence didn’t end there either. Coogler has continued to carry Boseman’s memory forward, allowing it to inform and inspire his work beyond Wakanda Forever, including later projects like Sinners.

Hearing the Sinners director speak so plainly about how Black Panther 2 had to be reshaped after Boseman’s death makes the finished film feel even more remarkable. Wakanda Forever wasn’t built on an abandoned blueprint. It was rebuilt from the ground up, shaped by grief, memory, and a shared commitment to honoring a man who forever changed the MCU, even in his absence.

Black Panther and Wakanda Forever are both available to stream with a Disney+ subscription, along with the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in release order.

Can you believe it? Another year of movies has nearly come and gone. When I look back at all the 2025 movie releases I've seen so far (which is 70+ at the time of writing this) I knew I needed to revisit some of my favorite movies before deciding what my official top ten is. That final ranking is still in flux for me, but as I'm in the process of figuring that out, I chose five that left a big impression on me from the first half of the year. My thoughts on Sinners in particular saw a shift.

I Rewatched 5 Of My Favorite Movies Of 2025, And Here’s How It Went

So, here's what I watched, aside from Sinners: Stephen King adaptation The Life Of Chuck, James Gunn's blockbuster superhero movie Superman, Netflix smash hit KPop Demon Hunters, and Celine Song's Materialists. Each of these movies felt like real memorable moments upon first viewing, between rounding up people I loved to see them and the really impressive filmmaking and storytelling at the heart of each one across multiple genres.

While I originally had The Life Of Chuck higher than Sinners for how life-affirming and emotional it made me, I must admit on my second watch it didn't hit quite the same for me, and was kind of a slog in some parts. Superman remains an awesome start to the new DCU, but I see myself appreciating it more than actually venturing back to it often.

My thoughts on KPop Demon Hunters remains relatively the same: it's a perfect animated movie by my measure that I'll be rewatching for years to come (and I won't be getting tired of the soundtrack anytime soon). As for Materialists, it still made me cry, but the "controversy" sets it back a bit after all the conversations I've had with people about it.

Why I Think Sinners Crawled To The Top Of My List

However, my opinion on Sinners is what changed the most. In terms of the Ryan Coogler film in contrast to the rest of my list, it's the first movie out of them I watched, which was back in April, and I perhaps didn't know what was in front of me upon first viewing. I definitely liked the movie, but I didn't fully grasp how genuinely perfect it is on the first go around (though our Sinners review got it right at 5 out of 5 stars).

I think part of that is because it was so hyped when it first came out, and I had my own ideas of what the movie was going to be I hadn't set aside. For one, I thought Sinners was going to be a lot more horror-leaning than it actually is, and with that in mind, the whole movies taking place at the juke joint was somewhat underwhelming to my expectations. I felt as if there were so much commentary within it's narrative that it bit more than it could chew on that front.

But upon my rewatch, my opinions soon changed. For one, I absolutely love that it takes place mainly in the juke joint, and think it's particularly impressive that such a contained story feels so cinematic and big. Second, I realized that what I first read as disjointed actually speaks to the layered quality of the movie. Every time I watch it, I'm going to have new things I can focus on and will get out of it. (The second time, I was really moved by its commentary on legacy, and I know there are more details I have yet to uncover.) When I look for a favorite, rewatchability, is a huge factor, and Sinners has it tenfold with its many great scenes, songs and quotes.

Sometimes, great movies just need a second watch to be appreciated, and man, am I happy I watched if before the end of the year. Because now it's at the very top of my list, and I now consider to be a rare masterpiece and future classic.

Dwayne Johnson is having quite the year. After starring in the critically acclaimed Benny Safdie film, The Smashing Machine, the actor became a 2026 Golden Globe nominee. It’s a huge honor, and the first nomination of Johnson’s career. It’s a far cry from his box office fodder status, especially considering Smashing is a small drama film, and not his typical blockbuster action movie. This new career phase has meant the world to Johnson, and he recently shared that he was nervous when the nominations came out, but Ryan Coogler helped relax him.

During a recent red carpet interview with the Are You Okay Show, the Jumanji star revealed he had actually turned his phone off the day that the Golden Globe nominations came out, because he was so nervous. Eventually he decided to turn his phone on and he only heard one ding, which he thought indicated that he may not've gotten the nomination. In the Instagram video, he said:

However, the situation wasn't at all what he thought. Once he opened his phone, he saw Black Panther director Ryan Coogler’s text, telling him congratulations. With that, Johnson knew he scored the nomination:

This is such a cute story and I love that Coogler was able to deliver such special news. It's bene lovely to see the Moana star soak in the love for his latest film. Johnson penned a lovely statement after receiving such a warm reception at The Venice Film Festival, and he couldn’t have been more touched to hear that Christopher Nolan enjoyed his performance as Mark Kerr. While box office success is commonplace for The Rock, this kind of praise towards his acting is a new level of success, and it’s sweet to see him enjoy this part of the business.

Dwayne Johnson seems to be keen on expanding his repertoire as an actor, too. He's teaming up with Benny Safdie again for Lizard Music, in which he'll play a 75-year-old man. This project will also mark another physical transformation for Johnson, who's currently losing weight for the role. He's also lined up another A24 movie, which is a thriller that will see him play an enigmatic self-help guru.

All in all, things are definitely look up for Johnson. The single text from Ryan Coogler, who is also a great talent, wasn’t just representative of the great achievement of a Golden Globe nomination. It also signified that he's respected by others all around the movie business. Johnson truly transforms in The Smashing Machine, so it's all well deserved. I hope he remembers this (and I also hope he and Coogler collaborate at some point in the future).

You can see Dwayne Johnson’s Golden Globe-nominated performance in The Smashing Machine, which is currently available to rent or buy on Prime Video. Fans of director Ryan Coogler can also check out his latest film, Sinners, which is now available to stream with an HBO Max subscription.

Chadwick Boseman passed away in 2020 at the age of 43, and this hit Ryan Coogler, who directed him in Black Panther, hard. Though the Marvel movie was the first and only time these two worked together, they had grown incredibly close with one another, and Coogler has even admitted that he didn’t think he “would last in this industry” after the actor died. However, it turns out that Boseman’s death ended up inspiring the filmmaker’s 2025 movie release, the Golden Globe-nominated Sinners.

Ryan Coogler revealed while speaking at the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony that honored Boseman with a posthumous star. During his speech, he held up a copper bracelet that Boseman gave him after they wrapped on Black Panther, saying:

Black Panther wasn’t supposed to be the only collaboration between these men, as Ryan Coogler had big plans for Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa in his original vision for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It also stands to reason they would have found non-Marvel projects to tackle together, and Coogler figured they’d have all the time in the world to keep working with his friend. Sadly, Boseman died after a five-year battle with colon cancer, a medical condition very few of his non-family members knew about.

Five years later, Sinners hit theaters starring Michael B. Jordan, Ryan Coogler’s frequent collaborator and Chadwick Boseman’s costar on Black Panther. In a separate interview with The New York Times, Coogler said that Boseman’s passing pushed him to make the vampire movie as quickly as possible, as it was released just 15 months after it was first reported to be in development. As the writer/director explained:

Perhaps there’s another universe where Chadwick Boseman lived on to make Sinners with Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan. Maybe, instead of Smoke and Stack being twins, Jordan and Coogler could have played them as brothers born separately. That’s not to say I would exchange that version of the movie for what we got considering how it’s been critically acclaimed, including CinemaBlend’s Sinners review giving it a perfect score. Still, it’s interesting alternate history scenario to consider amidst many where Coogler and Boseman continued to collaborate.

After Chadwick Boseman died, he was posthumously seen in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which netted him a Golden Globe win and Academy Award nomination, and heard as a Star-Lord variant of T’Challa in What If… ? Season 1. Sinners has scored seven Golden Globe nominations, and we’ll see how it does in those categories when the next ceremony airs January 11 on CBS and Paramount+.

In 2025, writer/director Ryan Coogler leveled up his career in a significant way. While there are few filmmakers in modern Hollywood who have the capacity to whole cloth create a blockbuster and turn it into a major hit, that's exactly what he did this summer with the release of Sinners – a movie hailed by critics that earned over $360 million worldwide. Needless to say, the future is quite bright for Coogler... which is why it's pretty crazy to hear that he is only a few years removed from thinking that his Hollywood career was destined to be short-lived.

The director offers some eye-opening thoughts in a recent profile published by the New York Times, including his pessimistic view from a few years ago that he wasn't going to stick around making films for an extended period. The first decade of his career was an unmitigated success, following his breakout feature Fruitvale Station in 2013 with Creed and Black Panther, but then he experienced the death of his friend and close collaborator Chadwick Boseman. Said Coogler,

When Boseman passed away in the summer of 2020, Ryan Coogler was both dealt an emotional blow and given a mountain to climb professionally. The two men were working closely on the Black Panther sequel while it was in development, and the film needed to be massively changed when its would-be starred died. With Coogler dealing with such an extreme challenge, one can understand why he had doubts about his future prospects.

But here comes the twist: he was ultimately able to scale that metaphorical mountain. With themes about grief and loss paired with fascinating political commentary and outstanding set pieces, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever went from being a potential disaster to being a story of triumph. The work was hailed by critics, it was a box office success (even while theaters were still trying to recover after the pandemic), and Coogler was able to restore his own faith in his career prospects. He added,

On the immediate horizon for the filmmaker is the untitled Black Panther 3, which has been confirmed as his next directorial effort (though it has neither a known targeted start of production nor a release date. As for what he may do after that, he has a literal vision of open opportunity:

Given Ryan Coogler's talents, anything he works on at this point gains instant anticipation – and that goes for both original projects and those based on existing IP. We'll see what the future holds, but for now, everyone can continue to marvel at his latest accomplishment, as Sinners is available to stream with a HBO Max subscription.

Few films have managed to stir up excitement and discussions amongst moviegoers this year like Sinners has. Ryan Coogler’s critically lauded vampire epic definitely struck a chord with the general public, so it’s not surprising that it’s been pegged as a major player during this awards season. So far, the movie has landed various nominations and wins from different governing bodies, and it’s now received some 2025 Golden Globes noms. As great as those nods are, though, I’m still feeling slightly disappointed about some key snubs.

Which Golden Globes Categories Has Sinners Been Nominated In?

The GG nominations went out early Monday morning, and more than a few of the year’s most talked-about films received some love. Sinners managed to land seven noms as well. Michael B. Jordan – who played twins “Smoke” and “Stack” in the movie – was nominated for Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Motion Picture – Drama. Meanwhile, Ryan Coogler was nominated for Best Director – Motion Picture, and the film itself received a Best Motion Picture – Drama nod. Those honors and the others are noted below:

• Best Motion Picture – Drama
• Best Director – Motion Picture (Ryan Coogler)
• Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Motion Picture – Drama (Michael B. Jordan)
• Best Screenplay – Motion Picture (Ryan Coogler)
• Best Original Score – Motion Picture (Ludwig Göransson)
• Best Original Song – Motion Picture (“I Lied To You” from Ludwig Göransson and Raphael Saadiq)
• Cinematic And Box Office Achievement

These are major awards for the film to have been nominated for, and there’s also a bit of history to make note of. What’s particularly satisfying for me is that this is the first time Michael B. Jordan has been nominated for a Golden Globe in any category. Also, this is Ryan Coogler’s first time being nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay. Of course, it also feels fitting that Ludwig Göransson would receive nominations for his stellar musical work (which is integral to the film).

As exciting as these nods are, I can’t help but think about a couple of other categories in which the film could’ve been nominated. There are specifically a few cast members who were more than deserving of noms.

Sinners Deserved To Be Nominated In A Couple Of Other Categories

While Michael B. Jordan’s dual performance as the Smokestack Twins has been praised, he wasn’t the only actor fans left the theater thinking about. Miles Caton – who marked his feature film debut with this flick – has also been praised for his role as young sharecropper Sammie Moore. Caton brings youthful energy and true believability to the role as well as his stunning musical prowess. Caton seemed like a shoo-in for Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role In Any Motion Picture.

Another star who also could’ve (arguably should’ve) been added to that Supporting Actor category was Delroy Lindo. The seasoned actor plays boozy blues player Delta Slim in Sinners, and his performance is nothing short of fantastic. While he adds levity to the proceedings, Lindo’s character is also incredibly tragic, and his monologue about a murdered friend remains a heartbreaking moment I can’t stop thinking about. (Honestly, I’m now flashing back to Lindo being snubbed in 2021 for his work in Da 5 Bloods.)

Speaking of elements I can’t stop thinking about, the same is true of Wunmi Mosaku, who portrays Hoodoo expert Annie. Once the Loki alum appears on screen, it doesn’t take long for her to make an impression. Not only is Mosaku cerebral in the role, but she’s also incredibly soulful and, despite her character’s superstitious nature, the actress grounds this horror film in a way that’s necessary for a big movie like this one.

I don’t want to sound ungrateful here, as Sinners – Ryan Coogler’s first truly original film – received quite a few Golden Globes nominations. However, I’m scratching my head a bit considering that Caton, Osaku or Lindo didn’t receive noms. As for the nods the movie did receive, we’ll see if they translate to wins when the GGs air live on Sunday, January 11 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. In the meantime, fans can stream Coogler's horror movie using an HBO Max subscription.

As we get closer to the end of the year, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners continues to be one of the biggest 2025 movie releases we can’t quit talking about. It's no wonder if you consider its near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score and our own rave Sinners review. Have you rewatched it yet? If you have, chances are you’ve also been wondering why Li Jun Li’s Grace let the vampires in, but thankfully the actress just answered why. SPOILERS ahead!

Why Did Grace Let The Vampires Into The Juke Joint?

As you must recall from Sinners, the characters inside the Juke Joint reach a level of safety from the vampires outside their door by the third act because they cannot enter the building unless they are invited in. However, Grace puts them all in danger when she decides to do so. In a new interview with Variety, Li shared that it was an aspect of the film she discussed a lot with writer/director Ryan Coogler. In her words:

As you might recall, Grace makes the decision after the vampire leader Remmick threatens to kill her teen daughter, Lisa. At the time she invites them in, she’s acting on her motherly instincts and is somewhat blind to the fact that she’s putting the other people in the Juke Joint in danger. Li describes Grace’s move as “a morally questionable and controversial decision” that she knew would receive some heat from audiences, but after her discussion with Coogler, he did make one change.

The Moment Ryan Coogler Added To Give More “Context”To Grace’s Decision

Li Jun Li also revealed that Ryan Coogler ended up adding the dialogue where Grace argues with Smoke for not wanting to fight and wait for the night to end. As Li said:

While I did question Grace’s choices in Sinners, after hearing about this behind-the-scenes information about the making of this moment, I not only understand the character more, I appreciate the decisions made for her. While I agree Grace’s choice isn’t the most logical, it also makes sense in the context of the movie why she makes it, and the conversations that happened between the actress and the filmmaker shows that they really put a lot of thought and care into each scene.

The movie is definitely worth a rewatch if you have only seen it once, because many of the scenes are even better on a second and third watch. While Grace’s actions led to more violence in Sinners, the movie also just wouldn’t have been as entertaining if they all just waited until morning and didn’t slay some vampires, you know?

There may be no bigger modern-day champion of the big screen than Tom Cruise. Say what you want about him, but he has literally risked his life for movies, and two people who really appreciate that are Sinners star Michael B. Jordan and director Ryan Coogler. The longtime collaborators, and self-proclaimed movie nerds, recently sat down to talk about their 2025 movie release and blockbuster horror hit, and Jordan revealed he’d had a full-on film summit with the Top Gun mega star. Meanwhile, fans immediately noticed that Coogler sounded just a tiny bit salty about being left out.

The moment Tom Cruise’s name entered the chat during an interview with EW, Jordan lit up like someone describing their favorite roller coaster. Coogler—who has made some of the decade’s biggest movies—admitted he still hasn’t met the action icon. Jordan recalled:

Coogler’s reaction was peak relatable. He replied:

Jordan instantly tried to make it better. He reassured the director, saying:

In Hollywood terms, that’s basically a knighthood. And the whole exchange is so entertaining that you really do need to see it for yourself.

Honestly, this crossover has been building for a while. Cruise—who rarely posts about films that aren’t his own—made headlines when he publicly praised Sinners. His Instagram shout-out surprised fans, mainly because the actor and stuntman tends to keep his social media strictly Mission: Impossible–coded. When he breaks the pattern, it means something really impressed him.

Jordan, in turn, pulled up to support Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning in IMAX, essentially closing the loop on this very wholesome movie-buff bromance. As the Creed star has admitted in other interviews, he’s a sucker for premium formats and cinematic spectacle, so of course a Tom Cruise outing was going to be his jam. (He’s also still grieving the Princess Mononoke IMAX re-release he missed, which is extremely relatable.)

It definitely feels like Jordan has entered Tom Cruise’s inner circle, leaving Coogler to joke about still not having met the blockbuster legend—which only makes the dynamic funnier. However, if the Mummy star is already this fired up about the Black Panther director’s work, their eventual meeting seems inevitable.

The Minority Report actor's stamp of approval also doesn’t hurt Sinners, which has already become a box-office force and earned unusually enthusiastic praise from across Hollywood. The longtime Ethan Hunt performer, who Steven Spielberg famously credited with “saving theaters” thanks to Top Gun: Maverick, has made a habit of publicly supporting other filmmakers’ successes. Seeing him champion a new horror movie that isn’t based on prior IP feels like a perfect continuation of that movie-lover energy.

If you want to revisit—or finally check out—one of Tom Cruise’s favorite (and biggest) movies of the year, Sinners is now streaming with an HBO Max subscription.

Following an all-time great performance from Michael B. Jordan this year with Sinners, it’s very unsurprising he’s booked and busy with more movies on the way. He’s directing and starring in a remake for The Thomas Crown Affair and is reportedly being eyed for a Miami Vice reboot with Austin Butler. Now, if you’re curious if his movie plans include Creed 4, the actor just offered an update on that front.

Back in 2023, Jordan confirmed that a fourth Creed movie would happen, but updates have been few and far between since then. It seems there's now some good new, though, in regard to what Jordan refers to as the "Creed-Verse." Here’s what he told Variety:

Jordan has, of course, made three Creed movies, with his favorite collaborator -- Ryan Coogler -- always involved behind the scenes in some capacity. The Rocky spinoff franchise's first installment hit theaters in 2015 and received critical acclaim. A sequel was released in 2018, and a third installment followed in 2023.

The last Creed movie didn’t have Rocky Balboa actor Sylvester Stallone, but found a great way to handle his absence. One of our writers argued at the time of Creed III’s release that the franchise should wait a good decade before Creed 4 due to the way it wrapped up the story. Adonis was hoping to retire in that threequel as is, so it makes sense that he might take a long break out of the ring before going back to it as well.

So perhaps it's time the franchise centered around a new character? Given Michael B. Jordan's comments, we may have to expect a longer wait for the fourth Creed movie but, in the meantime, Jordan and co. have another idea they're working on:

Earlier this year, an Amazon Prime Video series titled Delphi was ordered (per Deadline) with Michael B. Jordan on board as an executive producer. It will be focused on the young boxers at the eponymous gym from the Rocky and Creed movies. As Jordan revealed, the series will thrust Adonis Creed and Bianca Taylor-Creed’s aspiring boxer daughter, Amara, into the spotlight. This feels like a great way to expand the "Creed-Verse."

Of course, it would still be great to see a proper fourth installment in the Creed film franchise headlined by Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson. Jordan's latest comments suggest that it could be a minute before that happens, but it's good to hear that, at the very least, the leading man is planning for the flick to happen.

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:

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:

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.

Across the past decade, Michael B. Jordan has grown into one of Hollywood’s best new stars that has only grown with Sinners being one of the best 2025 movie releases. On Thursday, the actor, who’s already getting Oscar buzz for his dual roles as Smoke and Stack, received a prestigious career award and dropped some great wisdom about his mindset for how he’s carved out his own place in the industry.

When Jordan earned The American Cinematheque Award at The Beverly Hilton (which was fittingly presented by his creative partner Ryan Coogler) this week, he delivered a 13-minute speech that started with him saying the tribute “means a lot” to him. Here’s one highlight from the public appearance (via Gold Derby):

As the successful actor and producer brought up, a lot of people like to discuss what they want to achieve, but the “how” is a rare conversation. As he continued:

While many try to fit in so they can find a spot at “the table”, Jordan talked about what he’s learned over the years that he could create his own table others would want to sit at by cultivating his own community within Hollywood. Jordan also quoted Toni Morrison’s: "If there's a book you really want to read that hasn't been written yet, then you must write it," in the speech to elaborate on his larger point about finding his own space in Hollywood.

One large example of the actor creating his own “house” is when Jordan first teamed up with Ryan Coogler on Fruitvale Station back in 2012. Jordan and Coogler have since collaborated on four movies from a director/actor capacity, and a few others in a more behind-the-scenes capacity. Some other notable collaborators who supported Jordan at the award ceremony in Beverly Hills included Octavia Spencer, Tessa Thompson, Daniel Kaluuya, Delroy Lindo, Phylicia Rashad and composer Ludwig Göransson with a performance of “I Lied To You” from Sinners.

The award honor comes as Sinners enters this year’s award season. Gold Derby is currently predicting that Sinners will be nominated in a host of categories at the Oscar. Odds are high for it earning a spot for Best Picture along with Ryan Coogler getting a Best Director nod, Jordan being nominated for Best Actor, the script being on the list for Best Original Screenplay, Best Casting, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, Best Score , Best Sound and Best Original Song. Sinners could sweep awards season with all the nominations!

For now, Jordan’s inspiring words speak to his work ethic and innovative perspective on making it big in Hollywood.

Quite often, there is a significant disconnect between the movies that become blockbuster hits and the movies that win awards, which are often deemed to be more artistic endeavors. It’s not uncommon for directors who tend to work in that second group to make the occasional comment about why there’s something wrong with the first group, specifically as it regards the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Martin Scorsese has done it, as has Francis Ford Coppola.

However, one film can be both things, and Ryan Coogler has a knack for making them. Specifically, Sinners was a movie that made a killing at the box office while also being a darling of critics, and we can even add Francis Ford Coppola to that list of admirers. He took a moment recently to praise Sinners with some very strong language on Instagram, showing that he may take issue with some movies Ryan Coogler has made, but not this one. Coppola said…

Coppola’s praise echoes that of many who saw Sinners earlier this year when it was in theaters, and those who have seen it since with an HBO Max subscription. It became one of the highest-grossing non-franchise films we’ve seen in a very long time.

Francis Ford Coppola has certainly been on the opposite side of the box office from Sinners or Marvel movies in recent years. His newest film, Megalopolis, was a passion project that he self-financed in order to get it made. The movie failed to be either a critical or a commercial success, despite incredible ambition.

Movies have been called an “empathy machine" for the way they can make an audience feel for and understand characters in ways they might not have been able to beforehand. Francis Ford Coppola indicates this is why Sinners is so great, because it deals very specifically with issues of race from a perspective that he cannot have, but it allows him to begin at least to understand that experience. He continued…

Francis Ford Coppola’s praise for Sinners following his condemnation of Marvel movies is interesting because the creator of Sinners, Ryan Coogler, is also part of the MCU, and more than that, he arguably made the best Marvel movie, Black Panther. It’s the movie that people interested in “cinema” are generally allowed to say they like. But it gets grouped in with all the rest when discussing why Marvel movies are a sign of the fall of civilization.

Perhaps Francis Ford Coppola’s love for Sinners will lead him to seek out Black Panther and give Marvel movies another chance.

Marvel fans, get excited, Ryan Coogler has confirmed that Black Panther 3 is getting closer to being made. Yes, the Creed director admitted that the upcoming Marvel movie is the next film he plans to make. However, there’s a reason why I’m not convinced that this means the film will be made right away.

Ryan Coogler Confirmed That Black Panther 3 Is His Next Movie

In the midst of the success of Sinners on the 2025 movie schedule, Ryan Coogler is being asked about what he’s going to work on next. During an interview with Deadline, he was specifically asked “how quickly” he’ll do Black Panther 3. In response, he said:

Then, when Coogler was asked if Black Panther 3 was up next for him, the director took a beat to think about it before saying:

I think the keyword there is “movie.” He didn’t say it was his next project in general. That got me thinking about a TV show Coogler is working on that he said was “immediately next” for him a few months ago.

Ryan Coogler Is Also Working On An X-Files TV Show

Now, get excited for that confirmation, because it is wonderful news. However, make sure to temper your expectations. I couldn’t help but notice how intentionally Coogler said that Black Panther 3 will be his next movie. That’s because he’s also currently working on a TV show, and I'm wondering if that will come first.

I write that because, when Coogler appeared on Last Podcast On The Left back in April, he was asked, “What’s next?” His response was not Black Panther, it was X-Files. Specifically, he said:

During his appearance, he confirmed that he had spoken to Gillian Anderson about the project, and his excitement about what’s coming down the line was palpable. He said:

So, it's possible that Black Panther 3 will not be the next project he works on. It seems like X-Files could be, and if that’s the case, that likely means we’ll have to wait a while to go back to Wakanda.

For context, news broke about Coogler’s X-Files project in 2023, and it’s been in development since. Now, based on the Sinners’ director’s past comments, it seems like it will be a top priority for him. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if that comes before Black Panther 3.

Plus, there’s no denying the fact that Marvel movies take a while to make, and while Coogler has spoken about Black Panther 3 before, it currently does not have a release date, and we know basically nothing about it (other than Denzel Washington said he’ll have a role in it). There have been rumors that Black Panther 3 could be released in early 2028, with production set for 2027. However, again, none of that is confirmed.

All this is to say, hold tight, everyone. Ryan Coogler is a busy man with multiple projects, including a TV show, on the horizon. So, while he said this highly anticipated MCU flick will be his next movie, it’s possible that he has other projects to make before that, like the new X-Files show.

Again, none of that is fully confirmed and anything can happen, though. So, we’ll just have to wait and see what Ryan Coogler decides to work on next. In the meantime, we’ll keep you posted on the future of Black Panther, and you can stream the first two movies with a Disney+ subscription.

There are plenty of reasons why Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is a bonafide, big-screen treat, including its stellar music and vampire-centric thrills. Of course, Coogler also assembled a cast of actors – led by Michael B. Jordan – that’s also impeccable. It was revealed this past summer, interestingly enough, that another notable name nearly tried out for the film – Colson “MGK” Baker. Ultimately, Baker revealed he opted not to audition as he didn’t want to say a racial slur and, now, Coogler is responding to those comments.

MGK previously revealed that he went out for one of the vampire roles, with the assumption being that he was going to audition for the role of “second vampire” Bert (who was ultimately played by Peter Dreimanis in the film). The audition for the movie (which is set in the segregated south of the 1930s) would’ve required the Good Mourning star to say the n-word. Variety asked Ryan Coogler about the rapper’s sentiments during a recent Sinners screening at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, and he shared a measured take:

Colson Baker’s oldest daughter – 16-year-old Casie Colson Baker – with former partner Emma Cannon. It goes without saying, of course, that the singer and producer has a right not to participate in a project as he sees fit, and Coogler seems to be completely understanding of his position. Nevertheless, it’s still interesting to think about a version of Sinners including Baker in one of the key supporting roles.

In Ryan Coogler’s critically acclaimed vampire epic, Bert is the first character viewers see get converted into a bloodsucker by Remmick (Jack O’Connell). After Remmick converts Bert’s wife, Joan, as well, the trio head over to the juke joint headed up by Smoke and Stack (Jordan). The group’s arrival ultimately sets in motion some truly gruesome events, which are downright entertaining to watch as a viewer.

Had he taken part in the film, MGK would’ve gotten to do more than just simply don a pair of faux fangs. He also would’ve been able to take part in one of the film’s most iconic moments – the vampiric performance of “Rocky Road to Dublin.” The entire scene is so perfectly staged and choreographed, with Jack O’Connell hitting a perfect Irish jig as part of it. MGK doesn’t seem to have any regrets about opting out of his audition. However, it’s hard to deny that If he had joined Sinners, MGK would’ve been a part of a motion picture that’s become a true pop culture juggernaut.

Coogler’s latest feature film continues to dominate conversations months after its debut amid the 2025 movie schedule. Awards season is now heating up, and many analysts are making predictions about what honors the superb period piece might earn. Some have also questioned whether Michael B. Jordan could score some Oscar love. It’s my personal hope that other cast members – like standouts Miles Caton and Delroy Lindo – might find their way into those conversations as well.

It’s interesting to think about a version of Sinners’ ensemble that includes MGK, but I think everything worked out for the best. On the one hand, Baker got to hold onto his principles and, on the other, fans were still treated to a stellar movie. Check it out now using an HBO Max subscription, and anyone who’s pining to see the film on the big screen should know that it’ll return to select IMAX theaters between October 30 and November 5.

Sinners is, at least so far, my favorite movie of the year. The Ryan Coogler-directed masterpiece, which you can watch with an HBO Max subscription, was a revelation for me because I'm usually not a huge fan of horror movies. I loved everything about it, however, and now I’m wondering why the powers that be didn’t wait to release it in that traditional window to unleash films like it the world: “spooky season”? There are actually two reasons why I think it would have made more sense.

People Love A Great Horror Movie Around Halloween

Sure, Sinners is not a “Halloween” movie, but it is the best horror movie of the year, which is filled with great scary movies. Weapons and 28 Years Later are also high on my list of favorites. Speaking of which, why weren’t those released around now, too? Especially Weapons? Anyway, Sinners would be the perfect movie for late September or October. The nights are getting longer, meaning more time for vampires to feed, right?

This September has felt very sparse with movie releases. The top movie at the box office currently is an anime that very few people saw coming, even us here at CinemaBlend. A marquee release, one directed by Coogler and starring his cohort Michael B. Jordan, would have filled the void perfectly. While releasing any horror movie this time of year makes sense, it makes even more sense for a film like Sinners for another reason: awards.

This Is Also The Time Of Year That Awards Favorites Get Released

Spooky season doesn’t just mark the time of year people love to watch horror movies, but it also means the beginning of awards season. The Emmys owned the night recently, and over the next few months, we’ll start to see the studios release what they believe should be the serious contenders for the Oscars, the Golden Globes, and the other big awards shows that will take place in early 2026.

While only one horror movie has ever won Best Picture, The Silence of the Lambs, and that is really a borderline case, this could be the year that a genuine horror film takes home the top prize with Sinners. It’s far too early to be making predictions on the winners, but I think it’s a very safe bet that it will be nominated and in the running. Having the film fresh in voters' minds, one of the big reasons the studios release contenders late in the year could have gone a long way towards that breakthrough win for the genre. Sinners certainly is going to have plenty of Oscar buzz despite being released last winter.

There are still plenty of films left on the 2025 movie schedule, so who knows, maybe there will be a movie that blows me away as much as Sinners, but I’ll be honest, I’d be surprised. That’s how much I like this movie.

Ryan Coogler's horror movie, Sinners, was one of the hottest topics of the 2025 movie schedule, partly because of the history-making deal he made with the studio. Coogler received first-dollar gross points, had final cut, and will own the movie outright after 25 years–an almost unheard of set of circumstances that filmmaking icon Spike Lee is reacting to, revealing the “only” one of his films he owns outright.

In a new interview promoting his latest work, his fifth collaboration with Denzel Washington, Highest 2 Lowest, Lee saluted Coogler and the executives who backed Sinners, calling the move both gutsy and brilliant. Speaking to Business Insider, the She’s Gotta Have It director shared:

If you missed the headlines earlier this year, Coogler struck a highly unusual studio pact on Sinners, with a bit of help from Tyler Perry. The bet has paid off creatively and commercially. Sinners (available to stream with an HBO Max subscription) is a bloody, blues-soaked genre swing, and opened above projections and sparked months of conversation around authorship, IP, and how legacy studios court A-list storytellers.

The Malcolm X filmmaker also used the moment to highlight how rare true ownership is for directors of his generation. Asked if any of his films have reverted back to him, he was blunt, continuing:

That admission lands with extra weight against the Black Panther director’s historic deal, because for decades, even iconic filmmakers have seen their classics locked inside corporate libraries.

Lee’s 1986 indie breakthrough was self-financed and retains a unique place in his catalog. She's Gotta Have It is still one of his best films, even if it's not the one most strangers still bring up to him as their favorite, hence why it’s the lone title he controls outright. Meanwhile, Sinners is positioned to become one of the few modern, studio-released originals that will eventually be creator-owned.

There’s a broader storyline here, too. Lee’s shout-out to Warner Bros. co-chairs Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca underscores how executive risk tolerance shapes the movies we get. Backing an original, R-rated, star-driven swing and letting the filmmaker keep meaningful back-end and future rights wasn’t the safe choice on paper. But as the Atlanta-born moviemaker puts it, they “bet on Black,” and it paid off for everyone involved.

For the Chi-Raq helmer, who’s currently riding a new wave of attention with Highest 2 Lowest, Coogler’s win reads like a hopeful data point in a business that isn't afraid to say “no” to anything that isn’t a sequel or a new superhero movie.

Spike Lee’s latest work, Highest 2 Lowest, is streaming for everyone with an Apple TV+ subscription.

Some of Hollywood’s greatest directors put in a lot of work to produce films fit for IMAX, though cinephiles should also be aware of other people who’ve helped make the format what it is today. David Keighley – IMAX’s longtime chief quality officer – was such a person, and he sadly passed away recently at the age of 77. Keighley deserves much of our thanks for his contributions to cinema, and he’s now being honored fittingly. That’s because Christopher Nolan, James Cameron and others are paying tribute to Keighley.

Christopher Nolan has been a true champion of the IMAX format, as he’s utilized it for many of his films, from The Dark Knight and Interstellar to Dunkirk and Oppenheimer. With that, Nolan’s films were overseen by David Keighley and as noted by THR, Keighley was evaluating dailies of Nolan’s latest flick, The Odyssey, shortly before his death. Keighley’s son, media pundit Geoff Keighley, shared Nolan’s tribute and those from others on Instagram, and the British director had nothing but praise for his “friend” and “mentor”:

James Cameron also had the opportunity to work with the late Keighley over the course of his career. In his own message Cameron – whose next feature is the IMAX-filmed Avatar: Fire and Ash – affectionately recalled working with Keighley on various cinematic endeavors:

David Keighley died due to neuroendocrine prostate cancer, as Geoff explained. Amid his over-50-year career, David – along with his wife, Patricia – was instrumental in helping to readjust some of Hollywood’s biggest movies for the format he passionately championed. As Christopher Nolan mentioned, the last completed movie David worked on was Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed vampire epic, Sinners. Coogler was reflected on meeting and getting to know the late executive, fondly recalling their chats and tours of IMAX headquarters:

Francis Ford Coppola recalled working with Keighley as well, not only expressing his condolences but calling his death “a major loss for cinema” as well. Another auteur, Denis Villeneuve offered praise for Keighley as well. Villeneuve – who’s currently in production on another film set for IMAX, Dune: Part Three – had this to say:

Thanks to Keighley’s efforts, moviegoers around the world have been able to enjoy massive films in IMAX theaters. I’ve personally seen more than my fair share of flicks in the format and am planning to see a few more films that way before the 2025 movie schedule wraps up. The cinema-loving public owes Keighley a great deal of gratitude for what he accomplished, and it’s wonderful that some of the industry’s biggest directors are honoring him. We here at CinemaBlend extend our condolences to the Keighley family at this time.

Spike Lee isn’t just one of the most beloved directors of all time, he's also a true fan of cinema. The filmmaker has been emphatic in his praise of his mentors as well as the great work new artists are doing within the medium. He recently expressed his praise for Ryan Coogler’s box office hit, Sinners, and recalled being able to see the film early with Coogler and his wife, Zinzi. Lee spoke fondly about the experience while also explaining exactly how he reacted amid the screening.

The Malcolm X helmer was a guest on The Bill Simmons Podcast, where he talked to the titular host about his 2025 film release with Denzel Washington, Highest 2 Lowest. Simmons and Lee's conversation included a mixture of movie and sports-related topics, given the latter's love for the New York Knicks. When asked what his favorite film of the year is, though, Lee didn’t hesitate to say Sinners. The Oscar-winning filmmaker revealed that his first experience with the film began with a cold call:

Spike Lee is a famous resident of New York City, so it was seemingly fate that brought him to the movie theater that day. Coogler has expressed his own love for the Crooklyn director, so showing Lee his film was a pivotal moment for him as well. Coogler previously said that Lee’s enthusiastic reception of Sinners brought him to tears, and it marked something of a full-circle moment. Lee concurred that he had quite the outward reaction to the film, as he said:

The musical scene in question from the 1932-set film is a sequence in which the character Sammie, played by Miles Caton, plays an intoxicating blues number at the juke joint. "I Lied to You" (an earworm of a song) conjures up imagery of figures representing various eras of Black music. Not only are musicians representing the African roots of the music present in the time-bending scene but so are those who represent rap and hip hop of the 21st century.

Although Spike Lee says he doesn't think Ryan and Zinzi Coogler would want to watch a movie with him again, I can understand just why he was so excited by the juke joint scene and the film as a whole. The musical moment is a gorgeous tribute and adds crucial cultural context to Sinners. It also subtly foreshadows the post-credit scenes, which features a time jump. Clearly, the film struck a chord with Lee, who has nothing but kind words for Ryan's movie:

Lee isn’t the only one that feels this way, as it seems many viewers have had plenty of praise for Sinners. It’s one of the rare instances in modern moviemaking where an original idea is given the scale and the backing to really shine, and audiences come out in droves to see it as well. While Lee may have noticed the musical inspirations in Sinners the most, it’s easy to identify his own influences in Coogler’s work.

It’s incredibly special to not only for Spike Lee to be enthusiastic about seeing the film, but also respond to it in a visceral way, like Ryan Coogler did with Lee's work growing up. It feels very much like a “passing of the torch” moment, and it's incredibly touching. Here's hoping that early screening also wasn't the last one that Coogler and Lee end up sharing.

You can see Sinners for yourself, as the movie is streaming now with an HBO Max subscription. Fans of Spike Lee should also check out Highest 2 Lowest, which is receiving fantastic reviews, and is currently playing in theaters.

If there’s one thing that fans who’ve enjoyed the Marvel movies in order have known for a long time now, it’s that the studio behind 2025 movies like Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and recent hit The Fantastic Four: First Steps always has lots of creative irons in the fire. As such, there are several films that were announced as being in the planning stages years ago, but which have been slow to take root. Now, though, we’ve gotten an update on the Blade reboot, Black Panther, and Deadpool, as superhero franchises experience a “pullback.”

What’s Been Said About The Current Plans For Blade, Deadpool And Black Panther?

It was roughly six years ago (during San Diego Comic-Con 2019) that a Blade reboot starring Oscar winner Mahershala Ali was announced with much fanfare. Numerous delays have hit the upcoming Marvel movie since then (even with some potential good news about the story involving Wesley Snipes, as well), and we still don’t have any idea when things will get rolling.

Meanwhile, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is doing well in theaters, and with major hits in the studio’s rearview like Deadpool & Wolverine and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, many are wondering where things stand with the long-awaited reboot and new appearances for old faves like Deadpool and Black Panther. According to a report from Variety, fans should be prepared to wait even longer in at least two cases, as the outlet notes:

As everyone who pays close attention to the world of superhero movies will likely realize, we are hardly in the pre-pandemic boom times that kept all of our excitement levels at 100. This means that things have changed across the board when it comes to spending mega-bucks on every potential superhero blockbuster, especially when one of the biggest markets for those movies, China, has begun to turn its attention elsewhere and business for new superhero movies is way down in that country.

While we can look forward to Spider-Man: Brand New Day on the 2026 movies schedule, as well as the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday (with both currently filming), those two will be exceptions to the new rule of doing everything possible to “keep the cost down,” which includes not loading up casts with A-list talent who command major salaries. Because of that, the Ryan Reynolds-starring Deadpool franchise, as well as the Ali-led Blade update, are still in a holding pattern for now.

However, with Ryan Coogler still riding the high of Sinners, his early 2025 horror hit starring Marvel favorite Michael B. Jordan, things are percolating at a much higher level for a third Black Panther film, particularly with Denzel Washington rebelling against MCU secrecy and revealing he’s going to be in the movie.

Obviously, lots of folks will be disappointed by this update, but remember that some good news is better than none.

Ryan Coogler's horror movie, Sinners, has been one of the hottest topics of the 2025 release schedule. Everyone seems to be raving about it, as Coogler's latest has been a hit with critics and has made a ton of money. Coogler has especially benefitted, as he scored an amazing deal that lets him keep the rights to his film. Now, as it turns out, Tyler Perry -- the groundbreaking Black director -- was also involved in helping the Black Panther filmmaker with this major deal. With that, Perry's sharing how he did it.

Tyler Perry made the revelation during the dinner conversation series, Den of Kings, which is hosted by award-winning gospel artist Kirk Franklin. It turns out Perry opted to provide some support to the Fruitvale Station helmer. In the conversation, Perry explained:

According to Business Insider, in 2024, Sinners sparked a major bidding war between studios. Whichever studio won the bid to work with Coogler had to agree to his specific conditions, like his getting first-dollar gross points, having final cut, and owning the movie completely after 25 years. Warner Bros. stepped up and agreed to everything. It was a pretty impressive deal, and Perry had some complimentary sentiments to share about it, adding:

It makes sense that Tyler Perry would want to reach out to his fellow filmmaker on this particular subject. Perry has long been a proponent of ownership amongst Black creatives, and that's been important to his work. Early in his career, he was adamant about owning the rights to his film and TV properties, especially the Madea franchise

For Ryan Coogler specifically, having the rights to his film wasn’t just a power play. He actually mentioned to Business Insider that asking for ownership was more about what it meant to him personally. The movie, set in Jim Crow America, explores themes of Black ownership before vampires are introduced later in the story in what some might consider misleading marketing. So, for the young director, owning a movie that highlights Black ownership was particularly meaningful to him.

Since the release of his latest movie, Coogler has revealed that the film was partly inspired by his grandfather, whom he never knew, and who was from Mississippi. Coogler's uncle, who passed away in 2015, was also an inspiration. Considering those personal ties, it’s pretty meaningful for this to be the first feature film he actually owns.

Just like Tyler Perry, this is something that horror fans and anyone who loves new stories in cinema should wholeheartedly support. Also, since Sinners has become such a major success, I, for one, eagerly anticipate what Coogler will create next.

If you’ve somehow managed to miss Sinners while it was in theaters, it's available to stream with an HBO Max subscription. Also, for you horror fans out there, be sure to read up on upcoming horror movies to see what's headed to theaters soon.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Sinners. If you have not yet seen the film, proceed at your own risk!

There are so many great things about Ryan Coogler's Sinners that you can briefly forget just how deeply layered the cinematic experience is. It starts off as an exciting crime story before events spiral out of control and it becomes a horror tale, but there's also the incredible music, and, of course, the romance. The latter is an aspect of the film that may not get as much attention as the others, but it's something that star Hailee Steinfeld certainly appreciates and recently highlighted in an interview.

Variety gathered Steinfeld and co-stars Wunmi Mosaku and Li Jun Li for a recent roundtable discussion of Sinners (which is now available to stream with a HBO Max subscription), and within the conversation, the True Grit actress commented on the relationship between Mary and Michael B. Jordan's Stack – a big taboo during the period in which the movie is set. The fact that both characters are ultimately transformed into vampires means that their love and connection becomes eternal, however, and Steinfeld loves that she can see their eternity together in the subtleties of their bond. Said the actress,

The relationship between Mary and Stack is complicated from the jump – when the former sees that the latter has returned to their hometown without notifying her. There is more push than pull at the start, as she has felt spurned by him and won't simply let him get away with it, but the story draws them together as Stack and his twin brother Smoke set up their juke joint. Things take a bloody turn when she is turned into a vampire and then she turns him into a vampire, and that seals them together forever.

It's horrific... but it's also romantic, as Steinfeld notes:

It's a strange love that movie-goers can now appreciate over and over again. Following its outrageously successful box office run during the spring, Sinners has now made its full transition to the home video market. As noted earlier, the blockbuster is now available to stream, but you can also purchase/rent it digitally from online retailers, and physical media collectors can buy it on 4K UHD/Blu-ray (today happens to be the official release date).

I've already talked about how Sinners is now one of my favorite movies of all time. And I'm sure I'm not alone, as the movie was all anybody could talk about for a while.

Plus, now that it's coming to MAX, people will likely still be talking about it due to its new feature for the Black deaf community. But, that's the thing about Sinners, right? For “a vampire movie,” it sure does have its heart set on as much representation as possible. What I mean is, Ryan Coogler's masterpiece really does include several underrepresented communities.

Which is yet another thing that I love about this movie, outside of it just being a magnificently told story in general. So, please allow me to be yet another voice that sings the praises for this masterful film. I assure you that I won't be the last when it comes to 2025.

I Love How The Choctaw People Are Certified Vampire Hunters

Do you want to know when I really fell in love with this movie? It’s when a man falls out of the sky, and starts staggering toward a house while his body is literally smoking. It was such a disorienting image, and it pulled me even deeper into this strange world that Ryan Coogler was cooking up.

But then, the Choctaw vampire hunters arrived on the scene, and I was like, aww, hell yeah. Because it’s just so cool that Indigenous people who know the area more than anybody else would be the ones who are aware that vampires are real, and they’re hunting them down.

And the thing is, the white couple (who are members of the KKK) that unwittingly invite the vampire into their home sees him as less of a threat than the Choctaw people who genuinely want to help the family.

As somebody who loves when we get to see characters from Indigenous communities represented in film, it makes my heart glad that the coolest characters in the movie are the Choctaw People, who actually would have been living in Mississippi during this time period.

So, kudos to the people behind this movie for specifically picking the Choctaw People to be the Indigenous vampire hunters. Score one for authenticity.

The Chinese Couple Live In Both White And Black Worlds

Another thing that’s really cool about Sinners is that it taught me so much about American history. For example, I remember watching this movie with my wife, and there was a scene where Smoke and Stack are trying to recruit people to come work for their juke joint, and they pass from the Black side to what appears to be the white side in this Jim Crow era south.

And, that’s the thing. The Chinese couple, Bo Chow and Grace Chow, played by Thomas Pang a.k.a. Yao, and Li Jun Li, respectively, seem to live in both white and Black worlds.

We see that white people frequent their store, but that the Chinese couple also supply food for the Black Moore twins, and this is something I actually learned occurred in real life… the selling of food to both Black and white people in the South, not the Sinners storyline, mind you.

This is yet another thing that I love about the movie. The shopkeepers didn’t have to be a Chinese couple with a child. But they are, and the movie is all the better for it.

I love seeing Bo and Grace interacting with the Black patrons, and how even though they come from different backgrounds, they still all exist in a world where they’re marginalized. In fact, most of the white characters in this film don’t come out looking very progressive – which makes sense given the time period – but there is one who surprisingly does, and I’ll talk about him next.

This Film Even Has Irish Representation

My colleague, Ryan LaBee, wrote a fascinating article about why vampires had to be the monsters in Sinners, and one of his conclusions was that vampires represent becoming what you end up hating. And yes, I can clearly see what he means. But, one thing I took from this film was that its Irish leader, Remmick (played by Jack O’Connell) sure did seem all-inclusive.

Because unlike the KKK-infused community that will sell a building to Black people one day, and then shoot them up the next, Remmick will accept anyone and everyone into his vampire community. His first victims are the white couple that let him into their home, but that was mostly because he was on the run from vampire hunters.

He later takes several of the Black patrons who came out to party, and then Mary (Hailee Steinfeld) herself, who brings her beau into the fold soon afterward. Bo also gets turned into a vampire, and it all culminates in another one of the greatest moments in the movie, that being the Irish dancing, “Rocky Road to Dublin” scene.

Similar to the Chinese couple in the film, adding an Irish vampire, and making him distinctly Irish, ADDS rather than detracts from the movie. It’s like this film is a stew that has all of these great ingredients, and each flavor tastes unique in its own way, but together, it’s the best stew you’ve ever tasted.

That’s diversity in a nutshell (or rather, in a stew metaphor) for me, which again, makes Sinners such a satisfying experience.

I Also Love The Biracial Relationship That’s Presented In This Film

I mentioned earlier how most of the white characters in this film aren’t all that progressive besides the Irish vampire, but there’s of course another character, and that’s Stack’s ex-girlfriend, Mary. The thing is, Mary is what is considered “white-passing,” in that she’s biracial, but most would never know that she’s of mixed race.

And, as somebody who is in an interracial marriage with interracial children, this aspect of the film hit especially hard for me. Because deep down, Mary understands why Stack, who is clearly Black, has chosen to stay away from her (It’s for her own protection). But, at the same time, she resents him for thinking that she needs his protection. This is something I think about myself when my own interracial children grow up and start dating. Will race be an issue for them? Will they struggle to form relationships since they are both Black and Filipino?

I don’t know, but I like that this is a legitimate subplot in the film. Michael B. Jordan (who has been in every single Ryan Coogler movie) plays two roles. One of the characters has an estranged Black wife, and the other has a former mixed girlfriend, and I like that they all get along and work together.

In fact, Mary is openly accepted by the Black community, and it’s almost like they are welcoming her back home when she comes to the juke joint.

And, as we see in the ending to the film, Mary is still with Stack, even sixty years after the events of that fateful night. This means that they lived to see a country go from one that mostly prohibited interracial couples, to a country that eventually accepted them. All of this representation in a single movie!

Plus, The Southern Black Experience Is On Full Display

Lastly, I’m Black, but I’m a Northern Black person. One time, my wife and I went to Busch Gardens in Virginia, and I was seriously freaking out when I saw Confederate flags all over the place, because I am simply not used to that.

But, Sinners goes there, when it comes to the unfortunate history many Black people had to go through in the South concerning segregation. In fact, there’s one “heartbreaking” scene in the movie that legitimately made my wife cry, since it involved a Black person being wrongfully murdered.

And, even this portrayal of the Southern Black experience felt like a form of representation to me.

Because this is a big country, and I often feel like Southern Black people exist in a different world from me sometimes. This expands to music as well, since as a New Jersian so close to New York, I look to rappers like Nas, KRS-One, and the Wu-tang Clan as being the pinnacle of hip-hop, whereas other Black people in the country might look to rappers like Scarface, 2Pac, Kendrick, or J. Cole as being the best rappers this country has to offer.

What I’m saying is, it’s all regional, and watching a film centered in the south really felt like a love letter to the Black people in that area.

But, what do you think? Were you also a fan of the film’s representation? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you know me, you know I'm a big fan of superheroes. Of course, a big reason why was originally was due to the MCU.

Yes, the MCU, which once felt as if it ruled the world. Going to a movie was an event that we all looked forward to. Now, in an age where we’re all a little superhero-fatigued, it’s rare that we find a show or movie from that universe that really captures the lightness as well as the quality of some of the original MCU movies.

But honestly, I think Ironheart is really up there, and it’s a shame that a lot of people aren’t checking it out nearly as much as they should.

MCU TV Shows Have Been Hit Or Miss

First things first, let’s talk about the MCU TV shows, overall. While there are plenty of upcoming Marvel movies that I’m sure we’re all looking forward to, like the long-awaited Fantastic Four reboot or the next Avengers movies, it feels as if the MCU TV shows haven't been as popular lately.

I mean, sure, Daredevil: Born Again was a big hit, but I think that’s also mainly because it showcased actors reprising characters from a past series. It was a show that everyone was eagerly anticipating. Other than that, when was the last time there was a significant amount of hype for an MCU TV show? I really can’t remember.

I think that’s because most have been hit or miss. You can have a runaway hit like WandaVision or Hawkeye, but then you could also have bombs like Secret Invasion, She-Hulk (even though I enjoyed the series), and Echo. There are all moments of fun in those series, but in comparison to some of the others, they’re not nearly as good.

Because of this, fans have developed a lot of whiplash, and as a result, the hype for any new MCU TV show has significantly declined. But now, Ironheart has finally come out – and I have to say, I love it. So much.

Ironheart Is Such A Fun Time And A Breath Of Fresh Air

Look, I knew I was going to love Riri Williams the first time I saw her in Wakanda Forever. She just had this spunk, attitude, and charisma that the MCU was lacking for some time. In that film, which was particularly poignant considering the real-world circumstances surrounding its production, following the passing of Chadwick Boseman, she was a ray of light.

So, of course, when I found out a TV series would follow her, I was excited – more so than others, but we’ll get to that in a bit.

This show is excellent and a breath of fresh air, especially considering everything else going on in the MCU and the world as a whole.

While critics have called it “a bit of a mess,” it’s still enjoyable. Is it perfect? No, not by any means. But there’s still a lot to love.

Ryan Coogler Delivers Some Intense Action And A Fun Story As A Producer

One of the big draws for me when I first started watching this was that Ryan Coogler was acting as a producer on the show. As someone who has fallen in and out of love with Marvel over the years, Coogler's involvement was a big green flag for me.

Obviously, everyone is familiar with him now, but if for some odd reason you aren’t, he directed both Black Panther movies, as well as the first Creed film, and recently had success with Sinners in theaters. That movie reminded me of why I love film, so I have an intense admiration for Coogler’s work.

Having him as an executive producer on this was the move. Because really, this almost feels like an extension of Wakanda Forever.

No, it’s not the same story whatsoever, but it feels like the same tone. It’s an exploration of Riri's life, delving deeper into not only her intelligence but also how her technology interacts with magic. It’s whimsical technological warfare, and those are three words I would never think to combine.

While Coogler isn’t the only producer on this miniseries, you can feel his impact on the show, mixed with the talent of the creator, Chinaka Hodge. The action, combined with the story, makes this a fun time.

Riri Williams Is An Amazing Protagonist

I might get hate for this, but I love Riri Williams the most out of the new, younger heroes. More than Kate Bishop and Wiccan and everyone else. I absolutely love her and I don’t care who knows.

First off, Dominique Thorne needs every kind of job after this because, wow, she’s so enjoyable as Riri. She has become one of those characters where I literally could not picture another actress playing her at this point, and that’s a huge compliment. She rocks the personality and the wit, and I need so much more.

Overall, Riri’s character perfectly exemplifies how you really don’t have to try too hard to make a character likable. You need to make them relatable, and she is. While she’s obviously brilliant, she’s also funny, has her struggles, and uses the best of her mind to make sure she succeeds.

That’s the kind of hero we all like. It’s a reason why I ended up enjoying superheroes like Spider-Man, Daredevil, and, of course, Iron Man – because they feel a little more relatable and they rely solely on their smarts and skills to get out of tricky situations. They aren’t Gods or super soldiers. I love characters like that, and Riri falls in that category.

If You're Not Watching Because She Wears An Iron Man Suit, Or For Who She IS, You Need To Read The Comics

I’m not even going to get into the significant details about why people aren’t watching this show. But if you aren’t, you’re seriously missing out.

Sure, some not-so-nice-named people will review-bomb Ironheart just because of her character, and to that, I really have nothing to say to you. If that’s how you choose to live your life, I hope you find fulfilment in that because I genuinely can’t understand your point of view.

For those who are less than inclined to watch it because she feels too close to Iron Man, I’m telling you this is not Iron Man. At all. Sure, the suit is reminiscent of his – hence the name Ironheart – but Riri is not Tony Stark, and that’s a good thing. It would be a copout to create another version of that character as a young woman.

Instead, they gave Riri her own personality, goals and virtues, and created a standout character who happens to have an Iron Man suit. Think of her as a variant of Spider-Man – same powers, different morals and values. That’s what I love about it.

Seriously, if you haven’t had the chance to watch this series, I would thoroughly recommend it. All six episodes are available to watch with a Disney+ subscription, so be sure to check them out when you can.

Sinners already made history by being the first original film to cross $200 million domestically since Coco. Not to mention, the 2025 movie release is the ninth highest-grossing movie of the year. Now, the Ryan Coogler flick will continue making history with its HBO Max debut thanks to a cool new feature.

During the Fourth of July weekend, Sinners will be premiering on streaming for those with an HBO Max subscription. But this won’t be like any other streaming movie launch. There’s a cool new feature that will allow the horror movie to continue making historic strides, as Max announced in a press release:

That’s right! For the first time ever in streaming service history, a movie will be interpreted in Black American Sign Language (BASL). It’s a different form of sign language that differs from ASL with its “unique grammar, signing space, rhythm, facial expressions and cultural nuances.”

The written announcement also recommended that a hearing audience still check out the BASL version and “follow along” to learn all about this distinct form of sign language. While Barbie had an ASL streaming release on Max, Sinners will be the first time the streamers' audience will be introduced to BASL. What an amazing major stepping stone for Black Deaf community representation and inclusive storytelling as a whole.

Black Deaf content creator Nakia Smith will be interpreting in BASL for Sinners with deaf performing artist, Rosa Lee Timm, directing her. Timm helped direct ASL versions of Warner Bros. movies like A Minecraft Movie and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Naomi Waibel, Senior VP of Global Product Management at Warner Bros. Discovery, said in a statement that HBO Max has a goal to do more inclusive storytelling, and BASL helps achieve that:

Bringing Black American Sign Language to one of the best streaming services is an excellent way to reach a wider audience and show how much language, culture, and identity matter in storytelling. With streaming services like Disney+ adding an ASL version of Ant-Man and Sinners introducing audiences to BASL, I wouldn’t be surprised if sign language features become as widely accessible as closed captioning or dubbing.

Including Black American Sign Language in Sinners’ HBO Max debut is a powerful statement about honoring diverse forms of communication. With people loving the vampire period flick, they’ll get access to a new language that will broaden their understanding of Black Deaf culture and provide a more inclusive experience. Make sure to watch Sinners and its BASL version on HBO Max on July 4th.

There's an old adage about how it's best to never meet your heroes, and while I respect the general idea behind it (they can never truly live up to your own expectations), one can also read that notion to be a touch cowardly. Yes, there is a chance that things will go horribly and part of your worldview will be shattered... but there is also the possibility that you can have one of the greatest experiences of your life. If you're ever in doubt about this, just think about what happened when director Ryan Coogler got the chance to show his new 2025 movie Sinners to one of his idols: the legendary Spike Lee.

Coogler recently shared the story as a guest on an episode of 7PM In Brooklyn With Carmelo Anthony – the conversation turning to the work of Spike Lee during a discussion of the trailer for the filmmaker's upcoming remake of Akira Kurosawa's High And Low starring Denzel Washington. It was mentioned that Lee had been a recent guest on the show and had dubbed Sinners as "the greatest cinematic experience" he had had "in a long time," and it was a comment that humbled the writer/director. Coogler first expressed his deep love for Malcolm X (Lee's biopic from 1992), and then he described what it was like for him to be in a theater with him watching his latest feature:

Getting proper and earned validation from anybody can be an emotional experience... but getting that validation from somebody you've spent your whole life looking up to and idolizing? I think that if any of us were in the circumstance that Ryan Coogler describes here, we would be shedding tears as well.

Of course, while getting approval and encouragement from Spike Lee was a big deal, the reality is that Sinners was widely praised by just about every single person who saw it prior to and during its theatrical release. The crime/horror epic starring Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku, Jack O'Connell and Delroy Lindo has earned rave reviews from critics and audiences alike (I personally gave it a five-star review for CinemaBlend), and it has been one of the biggest box office success stories of 2025. It's still playing in some locations domestically, but to date, it has made $278 million domestically and $364.5 million worldwide.

Sinners is a movie that certainly benefitted from the big screen experience, but I highly doubt it will lose all of its impact as it moves to the home video market. The film is currently available for digital rental and purchase from all major online outlets, and it will be streamable for HBO Max subscribers starting this Friday, July 4. Those of you who are physical media collectors can pre-order the film on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD prior to its street date on July 8.

We've reached July, and it’s hot outside. So you may have some time off this week with the 4th of July weekend happening. You could spend that time doing something useful, or you could spend it in front of the TV with the A/C on and enjoying something new on your favorite streaming platform.

One of the biggest box office hits of the year is heading to HBO Max. One of Netflix’s biggest hits is finally getting a sequel after all these years, and the newest Marvel series on Disney+ wraps up after only two weeks. Here’s a look at what you don’t want to miss on streaming this week.

Ironheart, Episodes 4-6 - July 1 (Disney+)

The first three episodes of Marvel Studios' Ironheart received a strong response from fans, so there could be strong interest in the final three. Unless you canceled your Disney+ subscription in the middle, you can watch the conclusion to the strangely released series this week.

The Old Guard 2 - July 2 (Netflix)

The Old Guard was a major triumph, becoming one of Netflix’s most successful original movies when it was released. Of course, that was five years ago, and quite a lot’s happened since then. Will The Old Guard 2 be worth the wait? Fans certainly hope so. We'll finally find out what Charlize Theron (whose kids were not a fan of her mullet) and her gang of immortals have been up to. Maybe rewatch the original first, just to be safe.

Heads of State - July 2 (Prime Video)

Not since Harrison Ford fought off terrorists in Air Force One have leaders of the free world kicked so much ass. Heads of State stars Idris Elba as the British Prime Minister and John Cena as the President of the United States, who can’t stand each other, but must work together when they’re both targeted for assassination. The movie looks to be full of action and laughs, and fan know Elba and Cena can dish out both. The best reason to have a Prime Video subscription this week.

The Sandman, Season 2, Volume 1 - July 3 (Netflix)

The first season of Sandman, based on Neil Gaiman’s graphic novel, was a solid hit that earned itself a second season, despite being a fairly expensive series to produce. The first of three episode drops for Season 2 arrives this week. The new DC TV show's return is a pretty good reason to keep your Netflix subscription for the next few weeks.

Sinners - July 4 (HBO Max)

So often, I highlight movies that were released theatrically, but that most people probably haven’t yet seen. In this case, I get to sing the praises of Sinners, a movie that there’s a decent chance you saw, considering it’s one of the highest-grossing non-franchise movies in years. Whether you need to see what all the hype was about or you want to watch it again, you can use your HBO Max subscription to watch one of the best horror movies of the year so far, starting on the 4th of July.

July is just getting started, and there are a lot more high-profile series and movies debuting this month. We’ll see you back here next week with another list of streaming content you won’t want to miss.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always expanding, thanks to new projects hitting theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Ironheart is in the latter category, and fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order are eager to see its connections to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Filmmaker Ryan Coogler is involved in the project as an Executive Producer, and recently explained why it's the perfect time for the show to arrive.

What we know about Ironheart has been limited, but fans are excited for the return of Dominique Thorne's Riri Williams. While it's been a few years since she was introduced in Black Panther 2, it should be fascinating to see her seemingly follow Tony Stark's footsteps and become the next mech-focused superhero. Ryan Coogler spoke to Deadline about the new show, and how it's a story that mixes tech and magic... just as Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom is expected to do in the next Avengers movies. As he put it:

Talk about synergy. While this timing wasn't necessarily on purpose, it does seem like the series is arriving at a good time in the MCU. Although Ironheart is getting a mixed response from critics, so only time will tell if audiences feel similarly about the TV spinoff.

Obviously Ironheart's title character is a technology-focused vigilante, so I have to assume that the creation and maintenance on Riri Williams' suit will be be a major plot point. But we're also getting some magic involved as well, thanks to newcomer Anthony Ramos as Parker Robbins / The Hood. He's a vigilante with a magical cape/hood that allowed him to use dark magic. And the mixture of tech and magic is presumably going to factor heavily into future installments of the MCU as a whole.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, but it's arguably hte mot highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie. This is largely thanks to RDJ returning to the shared universe, this time as the villainous Doctor Doom. While the Fantastic Four villain uses tech for his abilities, he's also known for using magic... especially in the multiversal story that's expected to come with Doomsday and Secret Wars.

The first three episodes of Ironheart are streaming now on Disney+ as part of the 2025 TV premiere list. We'll just have to see if/when the title character returns to the big screen.

Minor spoilers for Sinners lie ahead, so read on with that in mind.

When it comes to 2025 movie releases, Sinners has arguably emerged as one of the most buzzed-about films of the year thus far. Ryan Coogler’s southern vampire epic successfully crossed box office milestones and earned critical acclaim from critics and general audiences alike. The ambitious production features its fair share of spectacle, but it’s the more personal moments that truly make it shine. On that note, there’s one particularly sobering moment that I haven’t stopped thinking about since I watched the film.

Delroy Lindo’s Delta Slim Has A Moment That’ll Stay With Me Forever

Sinners features a strong cast headed up by Michael B. Jordan, who skillfully plays twins Elijah “Smoke” and Elias “Stack” Moore. Other cast members like Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku, Jack O’Connell and Miles Caton shine as well. However, I really have to give props to veteran actor Delroy Lindo, who portrays resident wino and skilled bluesman Delta Slim. Lindo steals more than a few scenes, and his character adds levity to the bleak narrative. However, a heartbreaking moment involving Slim that I want to discuss.

After Smoke and his cousin, Sammie (Miles Caton), recruit Slim for the the Smokestack twins’ juke joint, they ride through a cotton field, where they pass inmates working. Slim yells to them, “Keep ya head, keep ya head.” It’s then that Delta recalls being arrested along with other Black men and thrown in prison. He then explains that while behind bars, he and his fellow inmates were taken to a house to perform. The story takes a truly tragic turn when Slim recalls a fellow performer who wanted to use the money he earned to build a church.

Delta shares that the friend in question, who wanted to start his church in Little Rock, Arkansas, took out all of his money to pay for a $2 train ticket. Eventually, the Ku Klux Klan caught wind of the cash he had and fabricated a story about him killing a white man, stealing the cash from him and then raping his wife. With that, Slim’s friend was lynched and also mutilated right at the station. Something that adds to the emotional heft of the scene is the fact that it’s overlaid with audio of the mob and lynching.

With this scene, Delroy Lindo serves up a master class in acting. He delivers the monologue with absolute conviction, conveying a sheer sense of despair. Adding to Lindo’s performance and the scene as a whole is the fact that Slim eventually starts singing to himself once the pain of the memory starts to set in. Not only does the British actor deserve credit for his stellar work but so does Ryan Coogler, whose screenplay captures just a snippet of the shared trauma Black people experienced in the segregated south.

This Sinners Scene Alone Should Also Make The Case For Delroy Lindo’s Awards Season Chances

It’s honestly way too early to be talking about awards season and, in my humble opinion, we should simply be enjoying the films without considering what kind of prizes they could or should win. With that being said, I’d love to see Delroy Lindo receive some love in the coming months. And, if chatter on X is any indication, I’m not the only one who couldn't stop thinking about Lindo’s Slim after watching the movie.

Delta Slim could be a one-note character in the hands of a lesser actor and writer/director. Thankfully, Delroy Lindo and Ryan Coogler work together to turn him into a nuanced individual who can tickle viewers’ funny bones and break their hearts. In a perfect world, Lindo would, at the very least, score an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. That would not only be deserving, given his work, but it would also be sweet retribution for Lindo being snubbed in that category for his stellar work in 2020’s Da 5 Bloods.

Regardless of whether any kind of awards are handed out or not, none of that would detract from the fact that Delta Slim’s monologue scene is very impressive. It can be hard to mine true emotion out of a blockbuster, but Ryan Coogler does so in stellar fashion. The well-reviewed Sinners truly tugs at the heartstrings, and Delta’s moment is a testament to that.

Check out Sinners for yourself right now by renting or buying it on digital platforms now. Also, read up on other movies that should be seen in a theater this year.

As Ryan Coogler’s 2025 movie release, Sinners, continues to be a big success with its strong box office run in select theaters, the director is taking a moment to pay tribute to one of his biggest influences. The Creed auteur made a beeline for Christopher Nolan’s work during a visit to the Criterion Closet. After Nolan received a special thanks credit in the new horror movie, Coogler doubled down on the praise for the Oppenheimer helmer, and it makes for a lovely moment.

In an 8-minute “Closet Picks” video posted to Criterion’s official X account, Ryan Coogler selects Christopher Nolan's 1998 micro-budget debut, Following. While Coogler discusses the movie, he also shows love to Nolan as well as his wife and producing partner, Emma Thompson, for their contributions to cinema:

The heartfelt moment adds context to Nolan’s surprise credit in Sinners, and it’s not the first time the Wakanda Forever filmmaker has expressed his deep admiration. In this latest video, he also refers to the British-American director and producer as “a mentor of mine."

Coogler and Nolan's relationship makes perfect sense, given both directors’ trajectories: from no-budget indies like Fruitvale Station and Following, to redefining big-budget IP with the likes of some of the very best comic book movies, Black Panther and The Dark Knight. Now, they are both crafting original event films shot on analog film, and they continue to push the IMAX company and format.

When it comes to Following, Ryan Coogler praises it for showcasing the early DNA of Nolan’s storytelling. He continued:

Coogler also draws a direct line between Nolan's debut flick and another favorite: Michael Mann’s Thief, which he calls a kindred influence:

But it’s not just about cinematic influence. As Ryan Coogler explains in both the Criterion video and previous interviews, the Interstellar director’s support went beyond aesthetics. During the making of Sinners, Coogler drew on advice from Nolan, Spike Lee and Quentin Tarantino as he navigated the challenge of crafting a genre-bending horror epic that was also intimate, personal and wildly entertaining.

The result? A film hailed as both spiritual and subversive, fusing theological horror with blockbuster energy, shot natively in IMAX. I love the friendship between Coogler and Nolan and hope it lasts for years to come. And, hey, if you missed Sinners in theaters and it's not playing anywhere near you, it just hit digital platforms, so that you can rent or buy it to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.

As for Christopher Nolan, the movie maker continues to push the boundaries of epic filmmaking. His next flick, the upcoming adaptation of The Odyssey, will officially be the very first movie shot entirely on IMAX cameras. The adaptation of Homer lands in theaters on July 17, 2026.