Ryan Coogler Reveals Original Plan For ‘Black Panther’ Villain

Ryan Coogler wanted Spider-Man villain Kraven the Hunter to feature in Black Panther.

Director Ryan Coogler, age 39, shared that when planning his 2018 Marvel film, he originally suggested Spider-Man’s villain be the main opponent for Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther, in addition to Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger and Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue.

Ryan Coogler shared that he had to abandon his plans for a Kraven the Hunter movie because Sony Pictures, which controls the rights to Spider-Man characters, turned down his idea. Sony was already developing its own separate film centered around Kraven.

On the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Ryan Coogler explained that when he started working on the Black Panther films, the villains were already chosen. His co-writer, Joe Robert Cole, had been collaborating with Marvel, and they’d decided the main antagonists would be Klaue and Erik Killmonger before Coogler joined the project.

We were considering Klaw and Kilmonger as potential villains, but we hadn’t finalized anything yet. Klaw seemed like a good fit, and I was really excited about the possibility of working with Andy Serkis. I’m a huge Spider-Man fan, particularly the 90s animated series, and I always loved the character Kraven, both in that show and in the comics.

I asked if we could include Kraven in the movie, but I was told they’d need to check with Sony. Sony immediately said no, and I was informed that it wasn’t going to happen. I just accepted it.

Black Panther tells the story of T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returning to his homeland of Wakanda to become king after his father passes away.

When a formidable newcomer, Jordan, threatens his position, T’Challa is forced to grapple with his nation’s history and determine the kind of ruler – and hero – he wants to be.

After the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2022 – a film where Letitia Wright’s character, Shuri, became the new Black Panther following the death of Chadwick Boseman in 2020 – director Ryan Coogler announced he was developing a third movie.

During a discussion about the film Sinners, he hinted that a sequel is definitely in the works. He said, “I’d normally avoid answering that question, but we’re really focused on making it happen, so yes, it’s our next project.”

Coogler also confirmed he was writing a role for Denzel Washington for the third Black Panther film.

The director mentioned on the ‘7pm in Brooklyn’ podcast that Denzel Washington is like family to him, and he’s wanted to collaborate with him from the very beginning.

I believe he’s the best actor working today, and his impact on our culture is immense. We’ve discussed this at length over the years.

The 21 Best Movies of the 21st Century So Far

21. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

It’s strange that when people make lists of the greatest films, they rarely prioritize how funny a movie is. When it comes to sheer laughs, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is arguably the funniest movie of the 21st century. Directed by Adam McKay and starring Will Ferrell, it’s a hilarious take-down of the sexism common in 1970s workplaces. The scene with Ron, his coworker Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), and Brian’s collection of colognes might be the funniest movie scene ever filmed. Seriously, almost every line and word is funny – there are maybe only a couple of unfunny syllables! The rest is pure comedic gold.

20. Holy Motors (2012)

Leos Carax’s Holy Motors feels like the most incredible dream you could ever experience while awake. It’s a wildly imaginative and strangely beautiful film—a love letter to movies, acting, and life itself, suggesting they’re all interconnected. Denis Lavant delivers eleven stunning performances as Oscar, a man who travels around Paris in a limousine, constantly transforming into different characters—from a motion-capture performer to a gangster to a beggar. While the exact nature of Oscar’s work remains a mystery, the film powerfully demonstrates the enduring magic and unrealized possibilities of cinema, especially at a time when the ways we watch and access movies are rapidly changing.

19. One Battle After Another (2025)

“One Battle After Another” stands out in today’s Hollywood, where films based on existing properties dominate. It’s a remarkably ambitious and costly film—reportedly over $150 million—with a clear vision from director Paul Thomas Anderson and significant political themes. Defying easy categorization, the film blends elements of a tense thriller, a quirky adventure, and a socially conscious drama—the kind of movie studios used to make regularly—all woven around a touching story of a father trying to shield his teenage daughter from his own errors and a chaotic world. It’s funny, visually stunning, unusual, unsettling, and thrilling—in short, a new masterpiece from PTA.

18. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021)

Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, the creators of Bridesmaids, reunited for another hilarious comedy, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. They play two best friends who lose their jobs at a furniture store in Nebraska and decide to spend their severance pay on a trip to Florida. While there, they both fall for a handsome stranger (Jamie Dornan, playfully poking fun at his heartthrob image) who is secretly part of a ridiculous plot to unleash genetically-modified killer mosquitos on the town. Wiig and Mumolo are fantastic, delivering witty dialogue about everything from clothing to names, and the movie is filled with memorable lines. In tough times, Barb and Star arrived as a bright and joyful escape, offering a much-needed dose of fun and optimism.

17. Inside Out (2015)

Even before becoming Pixar’s creative leader, Pete Docter was known as a brilliant mind at the studio. He contributed as a writer to beloved films like Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and WALL-E, and went on to direct some of Pixar’s most acclaimed movies: Monsters, Inc., Up, and Inside Out. Inside Out is a remarkably creative story that explores the inner world of an 11-year-old girl named Riley. When Riley moves from Minnesota to San Francisco, her life is disrupted, leading to a conflict between the personified emotions in her brain. The film’s depiction of Riley’s mind is visually imaginative and constantly engaging. But beyond its creativity, Inside Out is a profoundly insightful film about the vital role sadness and grief play in our lives.

16. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)

The classic video game Donkey Kong is a surprisingly good reflection of life itself. It’s incredibly challenging, often unfair, and success often feels like a matter of luck, not skill. You might catch a break, or you might be crushed by unexpected obstacles, like a gorilla kidnapping your loved one. Even if you achieve something great, like a record-breaking score, it all ends eventually. There’s no real winning, only an inevitable conclusion. And sometimes, you even have to contend with bizarre and unpredictable characters.

That’s why The King of Kong isn’t just a documentary about competitive Donkey Kong; it’s a film about the human experience.

15. The Prestige (2006)

Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige is a masterpiece where all his signature filmmaking techniques – like complex timelines and unexpected plot twists – and recurring ideas about flawed characters and loss come together brilliantly. The film follows two competing magicians in Victorian London, played by Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, whose rivalry pushes them to both incredible creativity and deadly actions. It’s a story within a story, exploring how far artists will go for their craft and the idea that everyone has a bit of both good and evil inside them. The Prestige remains captivating even after you know its secrets, offering new details with each viewing if you pay close attention to Nolan’s clever foreshadowing.

14. The Social Network (2010)

Whether David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin accurately depicted the beginnings of Facebook is open for discussion. However, they undeniably captured a specific kind of personality, perfectly embodied by Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg: incredibly intelligent, deeply frustrated, feeling privileged, and craving acceptance. Many questioned Fincher’s choice to make a film about Facebook in 2010, but it’s now clear it followed a similar theme to his film Fight Club – both stories center on a resentful, isolated man whose expression of anger has unforeseen results.

A crucial element of the film is Justin Timberlake’s casting as Sean Parker, the founder of Napster and an early figure at Facebook. Parker functions as a sort of mentor to Zuckerberg, much like Tyler Durden in Fight Club. Timberlake and Eisenberg share a physical resemblance – they could almost be brothers, if one had all the luck and the other none. That’s the person Mark Zuckerberg aspires to be, and he’s agonizingly close to achieving it.

13. Nickel Boys (2024)

It’s rare to see a truly original film, one that feels genuinely new and pushes the boundaries of cinema. But every now and then, a movie like Nickel Boys arrives. This film is bold, unique, and offers a fresh perspective—actually, two.

Director and co-screenwriter RaMell Ross made a striking choice: to film nearly the entire adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel from the point of view of its two main characters. The remarkable camerawork, by Ross and cinematographer Jomo Fray, immerses you in the experiences of two young men struggling to survive a harsh reform school in 1960s Florida. It’s baffling that Fray wasn’t nominated for an Oscar for his work. While this technique can be distracting if not done well, in Ross’ hands, it creates a truly new way of seeing the world—and perhaps a glimpse into the future of filmmaking.

12. Past Lives (2023)

This moving and poignant film explores the unseen connections that shape our lives – whether you call it fate, destiny, or in-yun – and how these forces can both bring people together and drive them apart. It centers on Nora (Greta Lee), a writer, and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), an engineer, who share a powerful connection but struggle to stay together. They cross paths multiple times – as children, in college, and as adults – and each time, life has changed, yet their bond remains. The story becomes particularly complex when Nora is married to an American named Arthur (John Magaro). The film delicately portrays this love triangle, leading to a heartbreaking conclusion that will leave you contemplating the significant moments and choices that have defined your own life, and how their true importance may only become clear with time.

11. Boyhood (2014)

For twelve years, director Richard Linklater secretly filmed scenes with the same actors – a boy (Ellar Coltrane), his mother (Patricia Arquette), and his sister (Lorelei Linklater) – to document their lives. While some might see this as a personal project for Linklater, the film becomes a fascinating record of American life in the early 2000s, and a deeply moving portrayal of one family’s love, struggles, and sacrifices. All movies deal with time, but Boyhood has a special connection to it. Seeing the actors actually age on screen makes certain moments even more touching and others more meaningful. When Arquette delivers a speech at the end, it’s filled with the weight of a dozen years of genuine happiness and hardship. As the late Roger Ebert eloquently put it, movies offer glimpses beyond our limited experience, and Boyhood feels like it throws those doors wide open.

10. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Despite being a light and fun film, Catch Me If You Can is also a surprisingly moving story about loneliness and the importance of family. It features a fantastic cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio as the clever con artist Frank Abagnale Jr., Christopher Walken as his struggling father, Jennifer Garner and Amy Adams as his love interests, and Tom Hanks as the determined, serious FBI agent Carl Hanratty. The chase between Hanratty and Frank is both exciting and heartbreaking, as both men are deeply isolated and seem to find purpose only in their pursuit of each other—a connection highlighted by their yearly Christmas phone calls. In fact, Catch Me If You Can might be one of the most bittersweet Christmas movies ever made, rivaling even It’s a Wonderful Life. If you don’t enjoy this film, I’m prepared to tell you a joke!

9. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

With its relentless action, Mad Max: Fury Road is easily the best car chase movie of the 21st century. But beyond the thrills, it’s a surprisingly spiritual and even Biblical film. Think of it as a modern exodus story – a group of brave women, led by Charlize Theron’s Furiosa, searching for a better life, guided across a harsh desert by a reluctant hero, Max (played by Tom Hardy). The film is a powerful example of how action movies can be both exciting and intelligent, and anyone who says otherwise is just trying to provoke a reaction.

8. Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Martin Scorsese, now in his eighties, continues to challenge himself and his viewers with his filmmaking. He still elicits amazing performances from actors and consistently explores familiar themes—the dangerous allure of wealth and the tragic side of American history. His latest film, Killers of the Flower Moon, focuses on the real-life events of the 1920s, when members of the Osage Nation were targeted and killed after discovering oil on their land in Oklahoma. White neighbors, including Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), who is married to an Osage woman (Lily Gladstone), preyed upon the tribe. Like with many of Scorsese’s recent films, this one feels like a fitting culmination of his remarkable career, and if it is his last, it’s a powerful way to end it.

7. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

2007 was a fantastic year for films, but the one that truly stayed with me was The Diving Bell & The Butterfly. It’s Julian Schnabel’s beautiful adaptation of Jean-Dominique Bauby’s memoir about living with locked-in syndrome. Bauby’s story, and the way the film captured his message of embracing life, had a profound impact on me. I left the theater and knew I wanted to propose to my girlfriend – and 13 years and two kids later, I’m so glad I did! Revisiting the film recently, I was reminded of just how powerful and moving it still is.

6. Zodiac (2007)

I’ve seen a lot of David Fincher’s films, and while he’s known for thrillers about killers, Zodiac really stood out to me. It wasn’t just about the crimes, but a deep dive into San Francisco over several decades, experienced through the eyes of the people obsessed with solving them. We follow a dedicated police inspector – I heard he even inspired Bullitt – a crime reporter who became a target himself, and an amateur detective who just couldn’t let the case go, even when the killings stopped. What really struck me is how Zodiac captures the power of obsession. Fincher pulls you right into this maze of clues and dead ends with incredible camera work and editing. By the end of the movie – which circles back to the very beginning after nearly three hours – I completely understood how Robert Graysmith felt; I was just as consumed by the case as he was.

5. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

The films Joel and Ethan Coen created together often feel like collaborations between two forces. Their movie, Inside Llewyn Davis, is essentially a film about those kinds of partnerships. As I’ve discussed previously, it’s a depiction of the New York folk music world in the early 1960s, but more importantly, it’s about the small, heartbreaking events that happen to a talented musician (Oscar Isaac, in a career-defining performance) after his musical partner dies. It feels deliberate that Llewyn’s most beautiful song is a farewell – and that it simply doesn’t have the same impact when performed solo.

4. Lady Bird (2017)

Greta Gerwig’s film, Lady Bird, cleverly uses pairs and contrasts throughout the story. The main character, known as Lady Bird, has two first names and experiences two relationships, both with boyfriends and with close friends. The film covers two semesters of high school, each featuring a school play and a social event like a dance or party. She navigates distinct relationships with both of her parents and considers applications to two different colleges, even attending two churches. This emphasis on choices makes Lady Bird a deeply resonant film, capturing how incredibly important even small decisions can feel during adolescence—and, in a way, how significant they truly are.

3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

I can’t recall exactly when or where I first watched Eternal Sunshine, but it was around 20 years ago while I was living in New York City. The details of that initial viewing have faded with time, like so many memories do. Ironically, that makes me appreciate the film even more now. What’s so compelling about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is that it uses a science fiction idea—a couple erasing each other from their memories—to explore how natural memory loss affects us. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet create one of cinema’s most memorable couples, and it’s because their relationship is destined to fail. Ultimately, all relationships end, often fading away like a beach house succumbing to the ocean.

2. Take Shelter (2011)

Having experienced panic attacks myself, I believe Take Shelter is a truly exceptional film about living with anxiety. The movie centers on Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon), a family man who, despite a loving wife and daughter, is plagued by terrifying nightmares of devastating storms and a constant feeling of impending doom. Michael Shannon delivers a phenomenal performance, supported by Jessica Chastain as his wife, and the film perfectly portrays the vicious cycle of fear – Curtis fears losing his mind, as mental illness runs in his family, and this fear only intensifies his anxiety. While many find the ending open to interpretation, I see it as a natural conclusion, because the film understands that this type of anxiety can’t be overcome. It can’t be contained by building defenses, whether physical or emotional, to protect what’s important. Instead, it can only be managed with understanding and the help of those you love.

1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

Actor Rick Dalton and his stuntman, Cliff Booth, have lunch with producer Marvin Schwarz at the Musso & Frank Grill. Marvin suggests Rick star in Italian Westerns, but Rick is unimpressed and feels discouraged, believing his career is over. He breaks down crying as soon as he leaves the restaurant. The camera focuses on the Musso & Frank Grill sign, emphasizing its history as “Oldest in Hollywood.”

Though Rick isn’t actually old news, he feels that way in this moment, realizing his time as a leading man may be running out. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a brilliantly crafted film, full of subtle details like this. It’s a look back at a changing time in American history and a celebration of the movie industry, which itself was facing an uncertain future.

2026-01-02 18:31