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TopFlash
Ryan Coogler When vampires tell the story of America
Flashmag! Edition 169 Fevrier 2026
The Director of“ Black Panther” on April 23, 2025, speaking to NPR journalist Tonya Mosley, explained why he put a billion-dollar franchise on hold to tell a story about vampires in 1930s Mississippi. His film“ Sinners” has just racked up 16 nominations for the 2026 Oscar season, an unprecedented achievement for a film directed by an African American. At 38, Ryan Coogler is the most profitable black director in film history.
With Black Panther, he became the youngest filmmaker to direct a film that grossed over $ 1 billion. However, when it came time to make Black Panther 3, he hit pause. Instead, he created“ Sinners”— a vampire thriller set in 1930s Mississippi, blending horror, historical drama, and blues. In a lengthy conversation with Fresh Air, Coogler reveals why this story needed to be told now, and what it says about America.
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