Career Timeline of Ryan Coogler: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Ryan Coogler built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Ryan Coogler is an acclaimed American film director, producer, and screenwriter recognized with numerous accolades. These include ten NAACP Image Awards and four Black Reel Awards. He has garnered nominations for prestigious awards such as the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Award, and Grammy Award, solidifying his significant impact on the film industry.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1989: Executive Producer on The Day the Series Stopped

In 1989, Ryan Coogler served as an executive producer on the ESPN 30 for 30 film The Day the Series Stopped.

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2009: Locks Screened at Tribeca Film Festival

In 2009, Ryan Coogler's short film Locks screened at the Tribeca Film Festival and won the Dana and Albert Broccoli Award for Filmmaking Excellence.

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2011: Fig and Gap win awards

In 2011, Ryan Coogler's short film Fig won the HBO Short Film Competition at the American Black Film Festival, the DGA Student Film Award, and was nominated for Outstanding Independent Short Film at the Black Reel Awards. Also in 2011, his short film Gap won the Jack Nicholson Award for Achievement in Directing.

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January 2013: Working on graphic novel and young adult novel

In January 2013, Ryan Coogler mentioned he was working on both a graphic novel and a young adult novel, though the subject matter was not disclosed.

July 20, 2013: Fruitvale Station Released

On July 20, 2013, Ryan Coogler's Fruitvale Station was released in theaters after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival and winning top awards.

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2013: Won Awards for Fruitvale Station

In 2013, Ryan Coogler's feature film debut, Fruitvale Station, won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film at the Sundance Film Festival. The movie also won Best First Film at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.

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2015: Directed Creed

In 2015, Ryan Coogler co-wrote and directed Creed, a spinoff of the Rocky film series.

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2018: Black Panther box office success and critical acclaim

In 2018, Black Panther grossed $1.3 billion worldwide, breaking numerous box office records. It also received critical acclaim for its storytelling, representation, and Afrofuturism themes.

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2018: Directed Black Panther

In 2018, Ryan Coogler co-wrote and directed the Marvel film Black Panther, becoming the first African-American Marvel Studios director.

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February 2021: Proximity Media Signs Deal with Disney

In February 2021, Ryan Coogler's production company Proximity Media signed an exclusive five-year deal with Disney to produce content, including a Disney+ television series based in Black Panther's Wakanda.

2021: Coogler co-wrote and produced Space Jam: A New Legacy

Also in 2021, Ryan Coogler served as co-writer and producer on Space Jam: A New Legacy, starring LeBron James. The film received generally negative reviews and was a financial failure.

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2021: Co-produced Judas and the Black Messiah

In 2021, Ryan Coogler co-produced the Fred Hampton biopic Judas and the Black Messiah, which received critical acclaim and earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

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2021: Founded Proximity Media

In 2021, Ryan Coogler, along with his wife Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian, founded the multimedia production company Proximity Media.

November 11, 2022: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Released

On November 11, 2022, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, co-written and directed by Ryan Coogler, was released in the United States and became a critical and commercial success.

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2022: Directed Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Ryan Coogler co-wrote and directed Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2022, which is a sequel to Black Panther.

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November 2024: Writing Black Panther 3

In November 2024, Denzel Washington stated that Ryan Coogler is currently writing the script for Black Panther 3, and Washington has been cast in an undisclosed role.

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April 2025: Release of Sinners

In April 2025, Ryan Coogler collaborated with Michael B. Jordan for a fifth time on Sinners, a supernatural horror film, which was released and received critical acclaim.

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