Director Ryan Coogler recently opened up about the emotional impact of receiving high praise from legendary filmmaker Spike Lee for his latest film, Sinners. On Camelo Anthony’s 7 PM In Brooklyn podcast, Coogler admitted that Lee’s reaction to the movie moved him to tears.
“So for me to give Spike [Lee] a cinematic experience, I’m just paying him back with interest, bro. It meant the world to me to hear him say that. I cried, bro — I had to hide my — he was jumping around like — I was wiping tears out of my eyes, bro. I’m sh*tting in the IMAX theater showing Spike Lee the movie. He likes it?” Coogler recalled, capturing the rawness of the moment.
Spike Lee himself took to Instagram to share his admiration for Coogler’s work. He called Sinners “magnificent artistry as a storyteller” and praised the performances, cinematography, production design, and more, highlighting Michael B. Jordan’s standout role. Lee’s enthusiasm has made waves in Hollywood, further cementing Coogler’s rising status.
Despite the film’s acclaim, Coogler revealed that he hasn’t allowed his children to watch Sinners yet, explaining how transformative the story is.
“By the time we finish, my son is literally a different person. That’s two, three years. He goes from having a few words to being like, ‘Hey dad, what’s wrong with you today, man?’ My daughter goes from liking ‘Bluey’ to asking when she’ll get to see this movie. They sat me and my wife down, like, ‘When am I seeing this thing y’all have been missing?’”
Looking ahead, Coogler dropped exciting hints about Denzel Washington’s potential involvement in Black Panther 3. The director described Washington as “family” and expressed a long-standing desire to collaborate with the acting legend.
“I think he’s the greatest living actor and in terms of what he means to our culture. I’ve been talking to him about this for a long time. Yeah, I was surprised when he mentioned it [Black Panther 3], but it’s not like it’s not true.”
As Coogler continues to push boundaries in storytelling and filmmaking, the industry eagerly awaits what’s next from one of today’s most visionary directors.
