The one director who inspired Ryan Coogler the most: “He had a period where he couldn’t miss”
In most cases, calling a director who’s only helmed five features one of modern cinema’s most exciting auteurs might raise eyebrows, especially when three of those movies consist of the spinoff to an established franchise, a comic book adaptation, and its sequel. And yet, nobody will deny that Ryan Coogler deserves that accolade.
Since Fruitvale Station premiered at Sundance in January 2013, when he was only 26, Coogler has been predicted for big things. One of the most dangerous pathways in Hollywood is young directors being scooped up for studio blockbusters when they’ve only got a couple of films under their belt, but he’s made it look effortless.
His Rocky offshoot, Creed, revitalised Sylvester Stallone’s signature saga and won widespread acclaim while making a killing at the box office. That wasn’t a patch on Black Panther, though, which became one of the highest-grossing releases in cinema history, evolved into a cultural juggernaut, and became the first Marvel Studios blockbuster to earn a ‘Best Picture’ nomination at the Academy Awards.
The follow-up, Wakanda Forever, was dealt a hammer blow by Chadwick Boseman’s death, but it delivered a worthy successor that paid tribute to Black Panther‘s late leading man. Still, people yearned for Coogler to return to original storytelling, and when he did for the first time in over a decade, Sinners became another critical and commercial success.
The director doesn’t even turn 40 until May 2026, but he’s already on the way to becoming one of those rare auteurs who’s work is marketed on the back of their name and prior reputation, which would place him on a similar pedestal to James Cameron, Spike Lee, Christopher Nolan, and Denis Villenueve.
Despite 60% of his filmography being comprised of the seventh entry in the Rocky franchise and the 18th and 30th chapters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Coogler’s most significant directorial influence is an auteur who not only hates superhero cinema with a burning passion but also apologised for giving rise to the industry’s sequel obsession.
When asked by the British Film Institute to name the movies that inspired him the most, five-time Oscar winner Francis Ford Coppola was the only individual who made the cut. “He had a period where he couldn’t miss,” Coogler said, referring to the incredible run where he made The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II, and The Conversation in succession.
“He’s such a brilliant filmmaker,” he continued. “Probably one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had as a filmmaker was meeting him and getting notes from him, and talking to him about his experience of making movies. He has a penchant for telling intimate stories that feel massive and mythical at the same time, that feel timeless. His films have a timelessness to them that’s just amazing.”
For better or worse, Coppola always marched to the beat of his own drum. His ambition definitely got the better of him on several occasions, but for Coogler, it’s the lasting power of his most famous pictures he dreams of emulating. Based on the evidence so far, he’s more than capable of doing just that.
