Ryan Coogler is an American filmmaker. He is known for directing franchise films and blockbusters. He has received nominations for various accolades, including five Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), five Critics' Choice Awards (winning one), four Golden Globe Awards (winning one), and three Grammy Awards (winning one).
Coogler made his feature-length debut with the independent film Fruitvale Station (2013), winning prizes at both the Sundance Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival, before transitioning to directing and writing franchise films such as the Rocky series spinoff Creed (2015), as well as the Marvel films Black Panther (2018) and ' (2022). Coogler has also produced the historical drama Judas and the Black Messiah (2021), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. He co-wrote the song "Lift Me Up" with Rihanna and Nigerian singer Tems for the (2022), which earned him nominations for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song, the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media.
Coogler directed, wrote and produced the 2025 horror film Sinners, which received unanimous acclaim both from critics and audiences alike. It earned him three Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. The film broke the Oscars' all-time nomination record, earning 16 nods and surpassing the previous mark of 14.. It also earned him nominations for three BAFTA Awards, three Critics' Choice Awards, winning Best Original Screenplay, three Golden Globe Awards, winning Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing in a Feature Film, and the Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture. He also won the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media for the film's accompanying soundtrack.