Ryan Coogler is setting the record straight about the recent media frenzy surrounding his deal with Warner Bros. for Sinners. In a conversation with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now, Coogler addressed the attention his rights deal has been getting, and frankly, he’s a little confused about why it’s become such a big deal.
The deal, which gives Coogler complete ownership of Sinners after 25 years, along with a first-dollar gross cut (meaning he gets a percentage of ticket sales before the studio recoups its costs), has been widely reported.
However, Coogler made it clear that this isn’t a new concept in Hollywood.
“I’m not the first filmmaker to get any of these deals,” he explained. “And Warner Bros. is not the first studio to provide these deals to a filmmaker.”
Coogler’s frustration with the media frenzy seems to stem from the fact that these types of deals aren’t groundbreaking. “Nothing about this deal is a new thing,” he said. “I’ve been in the industry long enough to know what deals are possible.”
When Goodman pressed him for his thoughts on why there’s so much buzz around his deal, Coogler said, “I’d rather not say.” However, he did share his personal perspective on why the deal was important to him.
Director Ryan Coogler questions why his contract for @SinnersMovie has generated so much media attention.
— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) April 25, 2025
“I'm not the first filmmaker to get any of these deals,” he says. “And Warner Bros. is not the first studio to provide these deals to a filmmaker.” pic.twitter.com/xGBxUlmCD4
For Coogler, Sinners is not just another film, it’s deeply personal. As the director behind billion-dollar hits like Black Panther and Creed, Coogler has seen incredible success in Hollywood, but it’s also meant that his past films were owned by others.
“I’ve made over $2 billion at the global box office. I’m not yet 40 years old,” he said. “It’s taken a lot of time, commitment, and energy, and I’ve missed out on a lot of things in my life making films that will always be owned by other people.”
For Sinners, however, Coogler was able to negotiate a deal that gives him not just financial success but also control over the future of the film.
“Because it was so personal… I asked for a few things that were very important to me for this project,” he shared. Thankfully, Warner Bros. was willing to meet those terms, giving Coogler the ownership and creative control he desired.
