"Sinners" Director Ryan Coogler Opened Up About His Favourite Part Of Filmmaking, And It's Not What You'd Expect
But when he sat down with us to discuss Sinners, the filmmaker opened up about what truly fuels his love for the craft, and it's not honestly so inspiring.
Speaking to BuzzFeed UK alongside Michael B Jordan, Ryan shared that there isn't any part of the filmmaking process he doesn't love, but he finds producing most rewarding, saying; 'I feel like I'm helping somebody do the thing that I really like.'
Ryan went on to say that while he loves writing and directing, the feeling of bringing someone's dream movie to life is the pinnacle; 'It's very addictive. You're in service to somebody else's vision in an art form that you know can be impactful,' he shared.
Sinners is the first feature film he's has written, directed, and produced, but the first film he produced through Proximity Media – his production company – was Judas and the Black Messiah back in 2021.
The Fred Hampton biopic picked up numerous accolades, and director Shaka King has been open about how much of an impact Ryan's input had on its success.
Shaka revealed that it was Ryan who suggested Daniel Kaluuya play Fred and that Ryan's involvement was something that gave him confidence in the film's potential, saying; 'I expected, quite frankly, all of the studios to jump at the opportunity to make it just because of the stacked team we were bringing to them. With Ryan Coogler right on the heels of Black Panther."
And though he loves producing, those who have worked with Ryan Coogler when he's wearing his director hat shared the same high praise – Hailee Steinfeld described watching his process on Sinners as a "core memory."
Warner Bros. Pictures
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Breaking Down the Absolutely Bonkers Ending of 'Weapons'
Weapons Credit - Warner Bros. Pictures Weapons When all but one of 18 children from the same elementary school class inexplicably get out of bed, leave their homes, and vanish into the dark at exactly 2:17 a.m. one night, the small town of Maybrook is plunged into a swirling vortex of chaos, grief, paranoia, and anger. This premise is what drives the dread-inducing action of writer-director Zach Cregger's buzzy new horror Weapons, the follow-up to his breakout 2022 solo screenwriting and directorial debut Barbarian. Told from the perspectives of six different Maybrook residents—including struggling teacher Justine Gandy (Julia Garner), tormented father Archer Graff (Josh Brolin), and troubled beat cop Paul Morgan (Alden Ehrenreich)—Weapons slowly pieces together the horrifying events surrounding the kids' disappearance before boiling over into an unrelenting third act that provides some disturbing answers to the mystery plaguing the community. Boasting a near-perfect approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Weapons, now in theaters, is projected to open to upwards of $25 million—and potentially claim the top spot at the weekend box office. But the anticipation for Cregger's sophomore feature was building long before the week leading up to its release. Back in early 2023, it was reported that horror maestro Jordan Peele and his production company Monkeypaw had lost a bid to produce Weapons when New Line Cinema purchased the rights to the film for $38 million, a sum that was around $7 million higher than the offer put forward by Monkeypaw production partner Universal Pictures. Around the same time, Peele parted ways with his longtime management team, leading to speculation that the split had been caused by fallout from the Weapons auction. Although there has been no confirmation the two events were correlated, that narrative (combined with the movie's hefty price tag) generated significant buzz among horror fans. "You know this film is going to be something real special if the auction for its screenplay was THIS serious," read one viral tweet. Now, viewers can finally decide for themselves whether Weapons and its wild ending are worth the hype. What happened to the missing children? We know midway through Justine's POV (the first one we see) that something strange is going on at the home of the only kid from her class who didn't disappear, Alex (Cary Christopher). But it's not until we get the perspectives of school principal Andrew Marcus (Benedict Wong) and, ultimately, Alex himself, that we find out who is behind the sinister happenings in Maybrook. After Justine reports what she saw through the window at Alex's house—i.e. his mom and dad frozen on the couch in a catatonic state—Marcus agrees to call the parents in for a wellness check. But the person who arrives at his office is instead a woman who claims to be Alex's Aunt Gladys (Amy Madigan) and just so happens to appear to be the same creepy and clownishly made-up old lady that several of the characters have been catching sight of in haunting flashes. Marcus insists that he needs to speak to one of Alex's legal guardians the following Monday, a declaration that prompts Gladys to turn up at his home that weekend and show him and his husband Terry (Clayton Farris) what she's really all about. After asking for a bowl, not glass, of water, Gladys proceeds to pull out a strange thorny twig that she has wrapped Marcus' school ribbons around and brutally slice open her hand with it until her blood drips into the bowl. When Terry tries to help her, she snips off a piece of his hair with a hidden pair of scissors and also wraps it around the twig before snapping it in half. It's then that the horror really gets going, as Marcus falls completely under her control and begins brutally attacking Terry. After Marcus smashes Terry's head in with his own, Gladys drops the twig in the bowl of water to put an end to his violent frenzy. She then repeats the process with a strand of Justine's hair that she had Alex's mom collect earlier in the movie and sics Marcus on Justine, leading to the gas station attack we saw from Archer's POV earlier in the movie. After a seemingly unstoppable Marcus is hit by a car and splattered onto the road while chasing Justine, Archer realizes that Justine isn't the villain he thought she was and the two band together to try to figure out what's really going on. Cut to Alex's POV and we learn that a terminally ill Gladys arrived at Alex's home several weeks earlier with a potted tree growing the aforementioned magical twigs. She then used her little ritual to put Alex's parents into their catatonic state and threatened Alex into collecting the name cards of every child in his class so she could summon them to Alex's home and keep them in the basement. We don't get a ton of explanation about her motives but it's suggested that she's some sort of witch who is able to keep herself alive by slowly feeding off the life-force of those under the control of her curse. Knowing that the walls are closing in on her, Gladys prepares for Archer and Justine's arrival by putting all the adults she has taken as mindless prisoners—Alex's parents, Paul, and drug addict James (Austin Abrams)—in place to act as her attack dogs when Archer and Justine enter Alex's home. A gruesome showdown ensues but Alex ultimately saves the day by using Gladys' own magic against her to sic all of his classmates on her. The kids proceed to chase her through town before mercilessly tearing her apart. A closing voiceover then reveals that all of the children were finally returned to their homes and, in the two years since the incident, some have even begun to speak again. However, Alex's parents never recovered and he was sent to live with a different, and much nicer, aunt. Is there a message behind Weapons? Weapons, like any film, is up to the interpretation of those consuming it. But if you're interested in what Cregger intended to convey with the film, the writer-director has said it wasn't his goal to explore the "core of communal trauma" or "[mock] suburban life" or create a "school shooting allegory," as some have suggested. "I wasn't trying to comment on or even tap into collective societal tragedies," Cregger told the Playlist. "I was purely writing from a personal place. However, with art and especially storytelling, the individual is universal. So I'm more than happy if anybody relates to what I went through and what this movie is examining, but I wasn't thinking, 'Oh, America,' at all. I was thinking, 'Oh, Zach.'" Instead, he has said Weapons was his attempt at processing the death of a close friend. "I had a tragedy in my life that was really, really tough," he told Entertainment Weekly. "Someone very, very, very close to me died suddenly and, honestly, I was so grief-stricken that I just started writing Weapons, not out of any ambition, but just as a way to reckon with my own emotions." Even the movie title itself, which seems to be reference to all the ways we, as humans, can be weaponized against each other, was apparently meant to be ambiguous. "I've heard a couple of people articulate why [it's called that], and I think they're all right," Cregger told Vanity Fair. "I think it's all legal." Write to Megan McCluskey at Solve the daily Crossword
Buzz Feed
5 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Movie And TV News And Streaming Recommendations For August 8, 2025
This week in Screen Time, Jenna Ortega returns as Wednesday Addams in the highly anticipated Part 1 of the second season of Wednesday, and I simply cannot get enough of it. I also share what's all over my FYP — like Tom Holland's epic return as Spider-Man — and what we've got going on over on BuzzFeed Celeb's YouTube channel, plus so much more. Listen, I even find time to share one of my favorite movie plot twists of all time. Thanks for joining me! Also, have a question for me, or want to tell me what you're watching right now, or have a suggestion of what I should watch next? Send it to me now at screentime@ at this Google form, or let me know in the comments below. And to get the Screen Time newsletter delivered directly to your inbox, don't forget to subscribe here! Wednesday — watch for: Jenna Ortega's always fun, deadpan Wednesday Addams Streaming on Netflix Jenna Ortega and the rest of the Wednesday cast return with the long-awaited first part of the second season this week, as Wednesday returns to Nevermore Academy, only to be thrust into a new mystery when bodies start to turn up. What's even worse? She has a premonition that Enid (Emma Myers) is going to die, and it will be Wednesday's fault. Alongside the returning cast, this season also boasts Steve Buscemi, Billie Piper, and more, who are all welcome additions to the wildness of Nevermore Academy. Now, this new season is broken up into two parts, which I am personally not a fan of. I would rather have a weekly drop or all at once, so the first four episodes get the story started in a perfect fashion, but just when things start to get going, this part of the season ends. Ortega remains brilliant as deadpan Wednesday Addams, and now I'm going to be anxiously waiting for Part 2 to drop on Sept. 3. Weapons — watch for: The most highly anticipated horror movie of the year In theaters now This is my most highly anticipated horror movie of the year. Directed and written by Zach Cregger, Weapons tells the story of one night when 17 children, all but one from the same classroom, mysteriously disappear. Now, their teacher, Justine (Julia Garner), and the rest of the community are left trying to piece together what happened. The hype for this movie started years ago, with a bidding war taking place for the distribution rights for the movie in 2023. It even reportedly led to Jordan Peele parting ways with his long-time managers after they failed to secure the rights to Weapons for Monkeypaw, Peele's production company. So, just that knowledge made me excited, and now that it's sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, I am even more excited. Between Weapons and Sinners, it's fun to see totally new stories get so much hype at the movies this year. Yes, there is still fun to be had with existing IPs and sequels, but man, original stories making a comeback feels so freakin' good. Freakier Friday — watch for: Lindsay Lohan's return to Disney movies In theaters now A lot of times, these nostalgia-fueled sequels are an absolute miss. See: the Enchanted sequel. They are often written for a Gen Z audience when they should be written for the audience that grew up with the original. So, my hopes were not that high for Freakier Friday. However, this movie proved me wrong in all the best ways. Lindsay Lohan is back in her Disney movie element with this movie, which follows Anna (Lohan), whose daughter (Julia Butters) is struggling to adjust to life with Anna's boyfriend (Manny Jacinto) and his daughter (Sophia Hammons). Of course, a good ol' fashioned body swap between Anna, Harper, Lily, and Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) sets this movie off on a hilarious course. I genuinely laughed during this movie, and I think it's probably one of the best sequels in this genre. Plus, Pink Slip still rocks, and we FINALLY get Jacinto as a leading love interest in a rom-com, swooning over Lohan no less. Outlander: Blood of My Blood — watch for: The best TV chemistry since Outlander. Yup, they did it AGAIN. Streaming on Starz; new episodes every Friday Here's what you need to know about me: Outlander is one of my favorite shows and book series of all time. My best friend and I even traveled to Scotland together this year because of our love of the Highlands that stemmed from this show. So, when I tell you Outlander: Blood of My Blood is the best prequel series, I mean it. The show follows two parallel love stories: Jamie's parents, Brian (Jamie Roy) and Ellen (Harriet Slater), and Claire's parents, Julia (Hermione Corfield) and Henry (Jeremy Irvine). It is such a beautifully crafted (and romantic) show, anchored by perfect performances by Roy, Slater, Corfield, and Irvine. It's rare that lightning strikes twice, but somehow the Outlander casting department has managed to find some of the most outstanding chemistry between costars yet again. Also, as an Outlander fan, Easter eggs and details abound in Blood of My Blood, and connecting the dots and finding out new things that happened is half the fun. These are some of my favorite things from my FYP, feed, and more: It might be because I live in the cross section of 'Film Twitter' and 'Marvel Twitter,' but all my timelines are freaking out about this week is Tom Holland beginning filming on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the long-awaited fourth Spidey film, which is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. First, there was the epic new suit reveal, which notably takes inspiration from both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's suits, catch me crying about that. Then, the filming on the streets of Glasgow where Holland met young fans dressed as Spider-Man and was PRACTICALLY swinging, everyone just seems so hyped. There might be superhero fatigue at the box office, but I don't think that EVER includes Spider-Man. People are hyped. I am hyped. I cannot wait. We're also now five episodes into Season 3 of The Summer I Turned Pretty, with this week's episode being the long-awaited Conrad-focused episode. Everyone, like me, is freaking out, with scenes from the book translated word for word. From the peach scene to the 'nail gun' quote, we got it all, and it was probably the best episode so far this season. Jenny Han wrote and directed this episode, and all I can say as a Conrad girl is THANK YOU! This week, over on BuzzFeed Celeb, the Freakier Friday cast — Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chad Michael Murray, Manny Jacinto, Julia Butters, and Sophia Hammons — took our 'Which Freakier Friday Character Are You?' quiz to find out who they are most like in real life. Is Lindsay actually most like Anna? And which iconic TV character would they want to swap bodies with for a day? Plus, they reveal their go-to movie theater snacks, where they sit in a theater, and so much more. And they even find time to sing a song from The Lion King. You can watch it all now: Where I answer YOUR questions about TV, movies, fandom, and more: Question: Which movie has your favorite plot twist ever? Okay, there are a ton of classic movies that have epic plot twists that everyone always mentions, like The Sixth Sense, Se7en, and more, but for me I really think it's the end of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest when Barbossa comes down the steps at the very end with Elizabeth, Will, and the crew of the Black Pearl wanting to go get Jack Sparrow back. I remember seeing it in the theater, and the energy that radiated through that small theater when it happened is something that is hard to replicate. And we're continuing the discussion over here: Tell me, which movie has YOUR favorite plot twist ever? Well, that's all I've got for this week's edition of Screen Time. Come back every week to get more TV and movie recommendations, find out which celebs we're working with, and so much more! Do you love all things TV and movies? Subscribe to the Screen Time newsletter to get your weekly dose of what to watch next and what everyone is flailing over from someone who watches everything! Have a question for me, or want to tell me what you're watching right now, or have a suggestion of what I should watch next? Send it to me now at screentime@ at this Google form below, or let me know in the comments below.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
Josh Brolin Teases Potential Marvel Thanos Return
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Josh Brolin is ready to return as Thanos at any time, at least as long as the Russo Brothers are involved. While promoting his new horror movie "Weapons," Brolin appeared on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, where he told Josh Horowitz he's ready to return to the role of the Mad Titan as soon as the Russo brothers ask. Read More: James Gunn Directing DC's Next 'Super-Family' Movie "The Thanos thing, if they called me in London right now, and said, 'Let's do this,' I'd be like, 'I'll be there tomorrow,'" Brolin said. "I talk to [Robert Downey Jr.] probably four to six times a year. I talk to the Russos probably four to six times a week. I talk to Joe a lot. I love both of them." Josh Brolin attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema's "Weapons" at The United Theater on Broadway on July 31, 2025 in Los Angeles, California Josh Brolin attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema's "Weapons" at The United Theater on Broadway on July 31, 2025 in Los Angeles, CaliforniaWithout admitting to being in either "Avengers: Doomsday" or its follow-up "Avengers: Secret Wars," Brolin said he's looking forward to seeing the movies. "Of course they're going to come up with something fun," Brolin said. "Who knows? That was a 10-year in-the-building kind of thing, and that was its own bookended deal. I don't know what they're going to do, but I'm sure it will be interesting. I think they do that very, very well." Brolin's character died not once but twice in 2019's "Avengers: Endgame," but with "Doomsday" and "Secret Wars" acting as the culmination of Marvel's Multiverse saga, there's always the possibility Brolin could play a variant of Thanos from another reality. In fact, Brolin has already played variants of Thanos in three separate episodes of the Marvel animated series "What If...?" Thanos isn't the only comic book role he mentioned in his interview with Horowitz. He also briefly referred to his time as Cable in "Deadpool 2," saying, "'Deadpool 2', I was like, I was glad it was one experience." The "Dune" star has spoken in the past about how acting in "Deadpool 2" felt more like a "business transaction" in comparison to his time as Thanos. He also talked about looking forward to seeing "Lanterns." Brolin was one of a few actors who were offered the role of Hal Jordan and passed before it ultimately went to Kyle Chandler. "I'm sure excited to see it," Brolin said. "I can't wait to see it. I love Kyle Chander. I think he's solid. He's fantastic." More Comics News: 'Spider-Punk' Movie On the Way From 'Black Panther' Star 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' Teaser Previews New Costume Tim Burton's 'Batman' Films Returning to Theaters
