Ryan Coogler’s Heartfelt Thank You Letter After ‘Sinners’ Box Office Triumph Will Move You!

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In a heartfelt message, director Ryan Coogler (of the movie “Sinners”) expresses profound appreciation to fans who flocked to cinemas to watch the film. He mentions that his gratitude is everlasting as his heart feels full to the brim.

Ryan Coogler’s movie featuring Michael B. Jordan as the Smokestack twins was a massive hit this weekend, earning $48 million domestically and $63 million worldwide. According to the filmmaker, it was solely due to the audience members who purchased tickets that they were able to reach these numbers. These are the individuals who made the effort to go see the movie in various formats, whether that meant buying popcorn and a drink, arranging for childcare, carpooling, or even standing in the lobby afterwards to chat with new friends. They adjusted their work schedules, watched the film with groups, saw it more than once, recommended it to others, either face-to-face, on social media, or through text messages.

Ryan Coogler expressed that creating a movie based on his family history was an exceptional chance, yet it was a production intended for viewers in cinemas all along. He always kept the audience in mind and felt strongly about both entertaining and emotionally impacting them through the unique power of cinema. Coogler is a firm believer in the art of filmmaking, the theater experience, and considers it an essential part of our culture. This conviction drives him and many other professionals in the field to dedicate their lives to this craft. They can’t do what they do without your support.

He goes on to say: “The global theater audience has given me the chance to dream, establish a profession, and construct a more sustainable life for myself and my loved ones. The best way I can express my gratitude for that is by delving further into my personal experiences and relationships to create additional stories for you in a cinematic manner. Your reaction to the film has inspired me, as well as others who value this art form.

Ryan Coogler’s main idea was straightforward – the massive turnout for “Sinners” in cinemas means more chances for filmmakers to take bold risks in the future. He suggests that perhaps we can broaden the concept of a blockbuster, a horror movie, and what an IMAX audience consists of. He ends with an enthusiastic invitation: “I’ll meet you at the movies, ready with my popcorn bucket!

Apart from expressing gratitude to the fans, Coogler also mentioned several filmmakers and artists who inspired the creation of his movie. He cited Spike Lee, John Singleton, Ernie Barnes, Steve McQueen, Ava Duvernay, Euzhan Palcy, Eudora Welty, Oscar Micheaux, Robert Rodriguez, Barry Jenkins, Quentin Tarantino, Nicolas Roeg, Andrea Arnold, Jeremy Saulnier, Paul Thomas Anderson, Joel and Ethan Coen, Bill Gunn, Jordan Peele, John Carpenter, Boots Reilly, Shaka King, Nia Dacosta, Terence Nance, Rian Johnson, Bradford Young, David Cronenberg, David Lynch, Chris Nolan, Emma Thomas, Theodore Witcher, Francis Coppola, Julie Dash, Steven Spielberg, Kahlil Joseph, Mati Diop, Ben and Josh Safdie, Stephen King, Robert Palmer, Amiri Baraka, Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma, George Lucas, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Walter Mosely, Stephen Graham Jones, Joel Crawford, Wes Craven, along with many others, as his influences.

While the buzz surrounding my movie has primarily focused on my long-standing collaborations with Jordan (spanning over a decade across five films), Ludwig Göransson (our 17-year journey together), and my producing partner and wife Zinzi Coogler (a partnership that’s been nearly lifelong, as I pen it), I felt it was important to shine a light on another integral member of our team. My go-to guy for editing, Michael Shawver, has been by my side for 15 years now. He’s done SPECTACULAR work on this film that hasn’t received the recognition it deserves. Unfortunately, he had to forego the press tour to spend quality time with his precious child instead.

See the full letter below:

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2025-04-22 23:17