The Ownership Shift: Sinners + Black Creation

Black people have deeply impacted art history, yet retaining ownership of our creative contributions has been a constant struggle for Black artists across disciplines. While many have lost this fight, some, like Issa Rae, Jay Z, Nipsey Hussle, Tyler Perry, and newer figures like Ryan Coogler, have prioritized ownership in their success, shifting perceptions for future Black creatives. 

If you don’t know who Ryan Coogler is it’d be a surprise. The Oakland-born director (Black Panther, Black Panther 2, Creed, Fruitvale Station, & Sinners) is one of the highest grossing directors of his time, with over $2 Billion in box office earnings in his career and a highly acclaimed film catalog. The recent success of his horror debut Sinners has made shockwaves through the entertainment industry. Along with the $350 Million milestone in box office earnings, the continuous press and positive acclaim for the film, as well as Coogler’s production deal with Warner Bros. has been all of the buzz and for good reason. 

The week of the release of Sinners, Coogler began a press run that we weren’t used to seeing from directors. Typically when a movie releases the starring actors are promoting the film, part of their contracts usually require them to. Because this film is Coogler’s original work that reverts back to him after 25 years, as well as him getting a piece of first dollar gross sales (this means he receives a percentage of profit from first sales, as opposed to waiting until the studio breaks even), this incentivized him to do something different and step in front of the camera.

The first piece of content I saw from Coogler to promote the Sinners film was the viral tweet of him breaking down the difference in film formats, film reels sizes, how the quality translates on to the screen, and he seamlessly tied it all back to his own childhood memories. Not only was I captivated at learning something I didn’t know much about, I was enamored by the explanations because it was being explained to me by a black man, with his heavy Bay Area accent unabashedly on full display. I came to a shocking epiphany realizing that was the first time I ever heard Ryan Coogler’s voice. 

For the next month all I saw was content from Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan, explaining the work that went into filming this movie, the passion that Coogler has for film that we didn’t know much about prior to this release, and we also saw how much personality he has (he’s also a Gemini like yours truly). The typical director is unknown and behind-the-scenes, there’s almost a nuance of mystery and shroud to being a director, the silent master of the craft who leads without speaking. Coogler goes on a month-long run of being on numerous platforms and media outlets and events that end up being clipped up tiktok videos by the thousands. 

From his Breakfast Club interview where he speaks on the impacts of Chadwick Boseman, Denzel Washington and Nipsey Hussle, to the Essence interview with Michael B. Jordan speaking on their history of working together and how they’re creating their own way in the film industry together. We even see Coogler on the “non-traditional” media platforms, but the platforms that feed THE CULTURE (if you know you know). 

Coogler visit’s Sway’s Universe, All The Smoke, Angie Martinez, and even Hot 97; reminding his people that this film is for us, by us, and why it’s important we have our stories made and heard, seen and shared, and how he hopes this film changes the narrative and pivots the possibilities for future black creators. 

Ryan Coogler's strategic career has been focused on building leverage to secure a favorable production deal with Warner Bros. This groundbreaking agreement includes provisions like final cut, first-dollar gross, rights reversion after 25 years, early profit participation, and merchandising and licensing opportunities (video game characters and skins, toys, clothing, and other things). 

This unprecedented deal paid dividends immediately, with Sinners achieving box office success (over $350 million in global box office, with a $90 million budget) and social media buzz, and crucially, setting a new standard for future creators. Just as the music industry has seen artists reclaiming ownership, the film industry is shifting. Coogler's deal empowers Black directors to negotiate for equity and ownership when working with major studios. 

Much like the film's opening monologue, which speaks to the power of storytellers and their ability to connect and share history, a shift is occurring. This moment represents a breakthrough where the balance is tilting towards creators, empowering them with ownership and control over their narratives. Coogler’s deal is not merely an isolated victory, but a catalyst for a fundamental change, signaling that the future of filmmaking increasingly lies in the hands of those who dare to own their stories.