The 78th Writers Guild Awards brought plenty of excitement this weekend, and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners emerged as one of the night’s biggest victors. Cementing its status as an absolute powerhouse this awards season, the highly decorated horror film took home the coveted prize for Best Original Screenplay.
The evening’s celebration was slightly unconventional this year, as the East Coast edition of the event proceeded as a solo affair. The Writers Guild of America West was forced to cancel its Los Angeles ceremony amid an ongoing strike by its own staff union over labor disputes.
Because of this, Coogler was not in attendance in New York, but Sinners star Miles Caton took the stage to accept the trophy and read a statement on the director’s behalf. Addressing his absence, Coogler wrote, “This is an event that Zinzi and I always look forward to, but there are real issues that need to be worked out with our staff on the West Coast.”
#Sinners star Miles Caton accepted director and screenwriter Ryan Coogler’s award for him. #WGAAwards pic.twitter.com/1CMjFqlWGi
— Gold Derby (@GoldDerby) March 9, 2026
In his speech, Coogler expressed his deep gratitude to his fellow nominees and the incredibly talented team that helped bring his vision to life. He specifically wanted to “give thanks to the actors who made our words on the page into memorable quotes for the audience, especially the brilliant young man reading these words.”
Reflecting on his 12 years as a WGA member, Coogler’s message touched on the massive shifts the entertainment landscape has endured over the last decade. He noted that since joining the guild, he has witnessed “the streaming boom and bust, the rise of AI as a threat, an 148 Day Strike and the auction of two legacy studios.”
He pointed out how drastically media consumption has changed, joking about a time when podcasts had to be explained to people, and YouTube was just a place to watch music videos, whereas today, politicians announce policies from their living rooms, and digital creators are winning Oscars.
Despite all of the industry’s rapid changes and ongoing challenges, Coogler’s message remained rooted in the foundational power of storytelling and the necessity of protecting the writers who create it.
“What we do is still the baseline, the blueprint. Without us there is no basis, no momentum, no industry,” he wrote. Emphasizing the need for basic security and solidarity, he added, “But we have to be able to take care of each other and take care of our families. Without the stability of health insurance and fair compensation, our minds can’t be free to imagine.”
Coogler’s major victory was joined by several other notable wins throughout the night. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another secured the win for Best Adapted Screenplay.
