Filmmaker Ryan Coogler is overflowing with gratitude after the success of his latest film, Sinners. In a heartfelt letter, the director expressed his “eternal gratitude” to everyone who supported the movie, from ticket buyers to those who inspired him while writing the film. Also read: Ben Stiller fiercely defends Michael B Jordan’s Sinners’ $61 million box office opening: ‘In what universe…’
Ryan Coogler expresses gratitude
After the film’s release, Ryan, who wrote and directed Sinners, has penned a letter for moviegoers worldwide.
The letter reads, “Eternal gratitude. My heart is bursting with it. I want to thank each and every one of you who bought a ticket to see Sinners. Who decided to drive to see the film in different formats. Who bought popcorn and a drink, booked a sitter and carpooled, and stood in the lobby afterward and talked and made a friend. Who changed their work schedules. Who saw the film in groups. I want to thank you all who watching more than once, who recommended the film to others, both in person and on social media or on your text message chains.”
Sinners witnessed a boom at the box office over the weekend with an estimated $48 million, beating A Minecraft Movie. The film’s victory came after it received positive reviews and audience response.
The director added, “I had the gift of the opportunity of making a film inspired by my family and my ancestry but it was always a film that we wanted to make for audiences, in theaters. We always had our minds on you, the audience, and felt a deep responsibility to entertain you, and move you in the way only cinema can.”
The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director further shared, “I believe in cinema. I believe in the theatrical experience. I believe it is a necessary pillar of society. It’s why me and so many of my colleagues have dedicated our lives to the craft. We don’t get to do what we do if you don’t show up. The global theatrical audience has allowed me to dream, find a career, and build a more sustainable life for me and my family. And the only way that I know how to thank you for that, is by continuing to mine my personal human experience and my relationships for more stories to bring to you in cinematic language. To see your response to the film has invigorated me and many others who believe in this art form.”
During the process of writing the script, Ryan said he also “unabashedly reached towards my cinematic influences” proceeding to list legends, including Spike Lee, John Singleton, Ernie Barnes, Steve McQueen, Ava DuVernay, Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Jordan Peele, David Cronenberg, David Lynch, Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas and Stephen King, among several others.
About the film
Sinners is an original genre-hopping thriller that stars Michael B Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld. The film made by Warner Bros. had an impressive $61 million opening globally. Sinners sees Michael Jordan as identical twin brothers, Smoke and Stack, who return to their hometown in Mississippi in an attempt to turn their backs on their troubled past. Unfortunately, they are met with a greater evil once they’re back home. The film is set in the 1932 American South during the Jim Crow era, when laws perpetuated racial discrimination. The film received rave reviews from critics and holds a 98% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer and a 97% score on the audience reviews, Popcornmeter.
