The year 2018 was the year Black people temporarily traded in the coveted head nod for the Wakanda Forever signal. It was a moment of endearment, a chance for connection, and an unspoken term of social engagement. That phenomenon is credited to “Black Panther,” written and directed by Ryan Coogler.
Coogler is an Oakland, CA, native and American filmmaker. The film director graduated from Sacramento State with a B.S. in business administration/finance in 2007. From there, he would be accepted to USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he made short films and honed his screenwriting skills.
At USC, his skills would lead him to write and direct his breakout film “Fruitvale Station” in 2013. Starring Michael B. Jordan, “Fruitvale Station” is a film that depicts the real-life story of Oscar Grant, III.
From that breakout moment, Coogler would go on to make other feature films, including “Creed” and the Marvel hit “Black Panther.”
His work gained him the recognition of his peers with several NAACP nominations and wins. He also came in as the short list No. 6 person of the year for TIME in 2018. And while he has not received an Oscar yet, Coogler was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2016 but turned down the invite because he disagrees with the process of being nominated and winning such awards.
“I don’t buy into this versus that, or ‘this movie wasn’t good enough to make this list,'” Coogler said to the Hollywood Reporter. “I love movies. For me, that’s good enough. If I’m going to be a part of organizations, they’re going to be labor unions, where we’re figuring out how to take care of each other’s families and health insurance. But I know that these things bring exposure.”
Since his breakout movie in 2013, Coogler has been able to amass a net worth of $25 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Although hard work and determination play a part in his success, Ryan Coogler credits his wife as his most significant motivation.
A College Love
Coogler and his wife, Zinzi Evans, met while the two were in college. Although he was a business major, Coogler was an aspiring filmmaker while attending school on a football scholarship.
A Key Investment
According to the Artists In Oakland, Coogler wrote short films that included “Story of a Dollar” and “Eyes Like Mine.”
Producing these short films would ultimately lead to the cinematic work we know Coogler for, but none of this would be possible without the support and investment from Evans.
In an interview with Hot 97, Coogler detailed how his wife believed in him and supported his dream.
“My wife, she was my girl at the time, [and] they had a software where you could write screenplays,” he explained in the radio interview. “I was trying to write in Microsoft Word. It’s impossible because your format gotta be right. I was broke, playing football on the little scholarship money. And my wife scrapped together some cheese and bought me Final Draft, which is the software that you write your movies on. And she got me that.”
The software would benefit the writer, and then his career took off to new heights.
According to a Complex report, Coogler inked a five-year exclusive deal with Disney that includes him developing a Wakanda-based series for their streaming service Disney+.
“Ryan Coogler is a singular storyteller whose vision and range have made him one of the standout filmmakers of his generation,” said Bob Iger, executive chairman of The Walt Disney Company, in the CNBC report.
Wakanda Forever
Coogler is also behind the second installment of “Black Panther,” entitled “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
The film premiered in November 2022 and made waves at the box office with the second-best opening of that year, according to Deadline. Raking in $181.3 million domestically, “Wakanda Forever” only trailed “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” which had an opening of $187.4 million. On the global stage, it secured the fourth-highest debut for a Motion Picture Association title, grossing $331.6 million. In total, the film wrapped up its run with an impressive $454 million domestically and $859 million worldwide
Media Ownership And Creating Space
Proximity is a multimedia company co-founded by Ryan and Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis, and Peter Nicks. Their mission is to create event-driven films, television shows, soundtracks, and podcasts that connect audiences through often-overlooked stories.
According to the company website, Proximity focuses on a diverse range of projects, from short films to major blockbusters. Their debut project, “JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH,” received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
The media company was also behind “Space Jam: A New Legacy” in 2021. It debuted at #1 at the U.S. box office, earning approximately $32 million during its opening weekend across theaters and HBO Max.
The Next Wave Of Films
Coogler has two exciting upcoming projects on the horizon. First, he is producing “A Vicious Circle,” a film adaptation of the graphic novel series from Boom! Studios created by Mattson Tomlin and artist Lee Bermejo.
Additionally, Coogler is set to release “Sinners,” a thriller starring Michael B. Jordan with an original script penned by Coogler himself. The trailer teases a haunting narrative: “Dance with the devil…and he’ll follow you home.” Both projects showcase Coogler’s versatility as he explores new genres while continuing to collaborate with familiar, talented actors.
