Bio
Ryan Kyle Coogler (born May 23, 1986, Oakland, California) is an American filmmaker whose work consistently draws on themes of identity, justice, and community. After earning an MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, his debut feature Fruitvale Station (2013) — a critically acclaimed account of Oscar Grant’s final hours — announced him as a powerful voice in independent cinema. He crossed into blockbuster territory with Creed (2015) and then Black Panther (2018), the latter grossing $1.35 billion worldwide and making him the first African-American director of a Marvel Studios film. In 2025 his original supernatural horror film Sinners earned 16 Oscar nominations — he won Best Original Screenplay — and a Grammy for its soundtrack, cementing his status as one of the most decorated filmmakers of his generation.
Works
Books
None.
Films & TV
Directed
| Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Locks | 2009 | Short film |
| Fig | 2011 | Short film |
| The Sculptor | 2011 | Short film |
| Fruitvale Station | 2013 | Feature debut; wrote and directed |
| Creed | 2015 | Wrote and directed; Rocky franchise spinoff |
| Black Panther | 2018 | Wrote and directed; first Black director of a Marvel film |
| Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | 2022 | Wrote and directed |
| Sinners | 2025 | Wrote, directed, and produced; Oscar — Best Original Screenplay |
Produced
| Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Creed II | 2018 | Executive Producer |
| Judas and the Black Messiah | 2021 | Producer; Academy Award nom. Best Picture |
| Space Jam: A New Legacy | 2021 | Producer |
| Creed III | 2023 | Producer |
| Stephen Curry: Underrated | 2023 | Producer |
| Ironheart | 2025 | Producer |
| Eyes of Wakanda | 2025 | Producer |
Music
None. Sinners (2025) soundtrack won a Grammy — produced in collaboration with composer Ludwig Göransson.
Other
- In development: X-Files reboot (announced 2025) — writing and directing