Ryan Cooglerhas only made five feature-length films so far in his career, yet the writer and director has already amassed a truly impressive filmography. After a series of shorts that teased his great talents, Coogler made his debut film,Fruitvale Station, in 2013, which also helped catapult his frequent collaboratorMichael B. Jordanto stardom. Since his debut, Coogler has brought new life to theRockyfranchise with 2015’sCreed, and made two of the most successful superhero films ever made with 2018’sBlack Pantherand 2023’sBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever.
WithSinners, his first wholly original feature-length film, now in theaters,let’s take a look at the already spectacular filmography of Coogler, from his early shorts to one of the most exciting films this year, ranking them based on their quality, consistency, and overall legacy. (Side note: this list does not include Coogler’s 2011 short,The Sculptor, as it is not available to watch online)
7’Fig' (2010)
Starring Jontille Gerard, Jessica Tomé, and Charline St. Charles
From his earliest shorts to blockbuster superhero films, there’s an optimism that permeates the work of Ryan Coogler. Even in his stories that center around tragic situations, there’s always a level of hope for the future that things could be better, and that the world will be improved. But that isn’t the case with his 2011 shortFig, about Candace (Jontille Gerard), a mother trying to provide for her daughter, regardless of what it takes. Written byAlex George Pickering,Figisthe only film on this list not written by Coogler, and his absence in the script can be felt.Figends up bleak without much solace, a downhill journey where attempts to do the right thing are pummeled by the world around you.
But Coogler’s directing is already distinct, and he’s showing improvement from his first short,Locks, with a richness that was lacking in that debut. This would also be the first time Coogler would work withcomposerLudwig Göransson, a collaboration that would lead to the composer earning an Oscar. Yet the real star of this short is Jontille Gerard, giving a tremendous and heartbreaking performance as Candace, who is just doing the best she can with what she has been given—an attempt to be the light in her daughter’s life, even when the darkness seems overwhelming.
6’Locks' (2009)
Starring Turen Robinson
So much of Coogler’s style can be found in his 2009 shortLocks, a student film made while he was at USC. Told with no dialogue,Locksfollows the character of Dante (Turen Robinson) as he heads through his neighborhood to get a haircut. So many of Coogler’s films are about how muchwhere you’re from informs who you are, yet never has to fully define the person, and that’s certainly part of Dante’s journey. InLocks’ five-minute runtime, we see how a neighborhood can weigh on someone but also be a source of beauty. While Dante sees police arresting someone, with a gun at the ready, he also passes by a group of friends that boosts his spirits soon after. The neighborhood isn’t perfect, but one has to take the good with the bad.
Locksends on a sentimental note that somehow feels earned, despite the short runtime, as Dante’s choice to cut his hair is for the benefit of another.Coogler’s tendency to find the light in the darkcomes up throughout the director’s work, and even thoughLocksis fairly simple in its message, its execution is already impressive, full of delusions and surprises along the way. For a five-minute short, it’seasy to see the DNA of Coogler’s workalready starting to form in this early short.
5’Fruitvale Station' (2013)
Starring Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, and Melonie Diaz
Coogler’s feature-length debut is a strong calling card for an exciting new director, but it still has its fair share of issues. In the opening moments ofFruitvale Station, we see the tragic death of Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan), and then proceed to get a fictionalized presentation of what his final day on New Year’s Eve 2008 might’ve been like. But in this exploration, Coogler packsFruitvale Stationwithheavy-handed foreshadowingfor the inevitable conclusion that we know is coming. A dog is hit by a car and abandoned, with only Oscar there to comfort him in his final moments, while a visit to a grocery store’s fish department has a woman asking, “Can I see your sole?” While we know this is Grant’s last day, it would be hard for this Grant to not also realize his fate, given all the signs life—and Coogler, specifically—are throwing at him.
But the beauty ofFruitvale Stationis howCoogler primarily focuses on the positive parts of Grant’s last day, through his decisions to start anew and attempt to be better going forward, or his dedication to family and friends after hurting them with his recent time in jail. It’s no wonder that Jordan became a sought-after actor after this lead performance, and thatCoogler and Jordan have been inseparable ever since, with the pair teaming up on all of Coogler’s feature films so far.Fruitvale Stationmade both Coogler and Jordanexciting new prospects in Hollywood, and even though this first film is a bit muddled in its choices, Coogler’s focus on the good in a person is a through line that has continued throughout his subsequent films.
Fruitvale Station
4’Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' (2022)
Starring Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, and Tenoch Huerta Mejía
Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverhad the unenviable task of being one of the final films in the MCU’s stuffed Phase Four, while also attempting to be a loving and moving tribute to the legacy ofChadwick Bosemanand the king of Wakanda, T’Challa.The love for Boseman is brimming out ofWakanda Forever, and the highly anticipated sequel is at its best when the film is allowed to sit in its grief, as Coogler and the cast clearly miss the former head of this series. Even before the Marvel logo, composed only of Boseman’s moments in the MCU, the tears start streaming in a way that is completely unexpected in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
ButWakanda Foreverisn’t just a tearful remembrance of Boseman, but it also has to be a major superhero action film, and thankfully, Coogler mostly makes that dichotomy work.Wakanda Foreverprimarily focuses on the people that meant the most to T’Challa, and how the loss of the king has changed the land of Wakanda. This is most evident in Shuri (Letitia Wright), T’Challa’s tech-savvy sister, who still struggles with the loss of her brother a year later. Yet with Wakanda and the attacking civilization of Talokan and their leader Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejía), we see Coogler continuing to show just how important community is to their inhabitants and how that shifts and forms the people within. WithWakanda Forever, Coogler saida moving goodbye to one of the MCU’s greatest heroes, and a friend who left a major impact with his unfortunately short time in this world.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
3’Black Panther' (2018)
Starring Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o, and Michael B. Jordan
Much has been said about how the MCU has a director problem, how the company will often hire exciting new filmmakers without allowing them the creative freedom that made them interesting in the first place. That’s certainly not the case withBlack Panther, which feels right in line with Coogler’s work withone of the most fleshed-out and exciting worlds the MCU has ever seen. We can feel the history and traditions that have made Wakanda the most advanced country in the world. Coogler explores ideas of how much people in positions of power should help the less fortunate. It has one of the most captivating antagonists Marvel has introduced, as Erik Killmonger (Jordan) actually kind of has a point in his villainous plan. But it’s Coogler’s spirit ofcelebration and appreciation for this cultureand world that makesBlack Pantherso thrilling.
Coogler’sWakanda is a fully realized world, complete with an excellent cast of supporting characters that are just as interesting as T’Challa, if not more. ButBlack Pantheris also just a hell of a lot of fun, from the car chase through Busan to just watching T’Challa going through the trials that will test if he’s ready to become the next Black Panther. It’s no wonder thatBlack Pantherbecameone of the most successful superhero films of all time. Beyond just being an important film whose legacy will only grow thanks in large part to Boseman,Black Pantherproved that when Marvel allows the director to have control over their vision, it can lead to some of the best films in the superhero genre.
2’Creed' (2015)
Starring Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, and Tessa Thompson
Thirty years after the release of 1976’sRocky, it seemed likeSylvester Stallonehad finally said goodbye to his iconic character with 2006’sRocky Balboa. Yet withCreedin 2015, Coogler and co-writerAaron Covingtonturned Rocky from the underdog fighter into a coach for the next generation—a shift that completely revitalized what this decades-long franchise could be. Coogler’s take onthe long-runningRocky-verseis a jolt of adrenaline into the franchise, as Apollo Creed’s son Adonis Creed (Jordan) decides to leave his life and job in Los Angeles to follow his dream of becoming a professional boxer. Coogler and Covingtonmake Adonis’ story feel both familiar and unique, as we are reminded of what made us love theRockyfranchise in the first place, while seeing this story through a completely new set of eyes.
Not only does Coogler bring in a perfect new face for this franchise going forward with Jordan, but gives Stallone a story that he can really sink his teeth into.Stallone gives maybe the best performance of his career(which also earned him an Oscar nomination), as this older Rocky deeply misses his wife, Adrian, and has to tackle a new type of fight when he’s diagnosed with cancer. But the bond between the old generation and the new generation is incredibly charming, and Jordan and Stallone’s dynamic is almost akin to a father and son, as both try to help each other be better in their own ways.Creedenhances everything that was once great about this series, asCoogler feels like a fan who finally got the keys to this kingdom. The fights are more brutal and absorbing than they’ve been in a long time, especially with Creed’s one-take fight that makes it feel like we’re getting beat up in the process.
1’Sinners' (2025)
Starring Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, and Jack O’Connell
In such a young career, Coogler has already done quite a bit, from impressive shorts to rebooting major franchises and creating massive superhero films. ButSinnersmarks Coogler’s first time telling a completely original story, and goodness gracious, we need more of that from Coogler immediately. Jordan once again reunites with Coogler and plays twin brothers Smoke and Stack, who return to their home in the Mississippi Delta to start their one juke joint. But their opening night is cut short when a group of white vampires show up, trying to interrupt their fun and turn the entire party into vampires as well.
Coogler doesn’t just jump to the vampires. Instead, hetakes his time building up to this conflict, as we spend time with each member of the crew that will help open this club, as Smoke and Stack pick them up. So halfway through, when the vampiresdoshow up, we care about each character as they’re picked off, rather than just turning this into a senseless bloodbath. Jordan has rarely been as fun as he is here in dual roles, and the entire supporting cast, includingHailee Steinfeld,Miles Caton,Jack O’Connell,Delroy Lindo, andWunmi Mosaku, are all perfectly cast. Yet within this vampire story, Coogler has crafted a film aboutBlack men struggling to thrive in a world that is always threatened by white peoplewanting to take over, whether it’s land, music, or lives. Coogler, once again working withLudwig Göransson, also turns this into a tremendous look at how music transcends generations, and how the music of the present is borne out of the music of the past and influences the music of the future. One sequence in particular might be Coogler’s best, as the past, present, and future of music all intertwine in one raucous musical party that is truly quite beautiful.
We already knew Coogler could make fantastic films, yetSinnersfeels like a whole new step for Coogler, as we see what he’s capable of outside of biopics or franchises. It’s a remarkable piece of work from a filmmaker who continues to surprise with every new project.
