Ryan Coogler Thanks Fans for Huge Sinners Movie Turnout

Last Friday Ryan Coogler's new movie, Sinners, opened in theaters to rave reviews. 

Ryan personally thanks movie fans for shattering box office predictions with a heartfelt note...

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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 afterwards and talked and made a friend. Who changed their work schedules. Who saw this film in groups.

I want to thank you all who watched more than once, who recommended the film to others, both in person and on social media or on your text message chains.

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.

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 re-invigorated me and many others who believe in this art form.

For this script, this crew, and this cast, I dug deep into myself and reached back to my ancestors who breathed so much life and purpose into me. I also unabashedly reached towards my cinematic influences including but not limited to, Spike Lee, John Singleton, Ernie Barnes, Steve McQueen, Ava Duvernay, Euzhan Palcy, Eudora Welty, Oscar Micheaux, Robert Rodriguez, Barry Jenkins, Quentin Tarantino, Nicolas Roeg, Andrea Arnold, Jeremy Saulnier, Paul Thomas Anderson, Joel and Ethan Coen, Bill Gunn, Jordan Peele, John Carpenter, Boots Reilly, Shaka King, Nia Dacosta, Terence Nance, Rian Johnson, Bradford Young, David Cronenberg, David Lynch, Chris Nolan, Emma Thomas, Theodore Witcher, Francis Coppola, Julie Dash, Steven Spielberg, Kahlil Joseph, Mati Diop, Ben and Josh Safdie, Stephen King, Robert Palmer, Amiri Baraka, Martin Scorcese, Brian De Palma, George Lucas, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Walter Mosely, Stephen Graham Jones, Joel Crawford, Wes Craven, and many others."

Every time you show up to theaters you allow us to come back and do it again. And together maybe we can expand the definition of what a blockbuster is, what a horror movie is, and of what an IMAX audience looks like. I'll see you at the movies, popcorn bucket in hand!

With many thanks,

Ryan Coogler

P.S. Much has been made about my 13 year partnership with Michael B. Jordan, my 17 year partnership with Ludwig Goransson, and my near lifelong partnership with Zinzi Coogler, but I wanted to shout out Michael Shawver, our picture editor who I have been working with for 15 years. Michael did EXCEPTIONAL work on this film that isn't being talked about enough, and he missed the press tour to spend time with his beautiful kid. Want to highlight him here and thank him too.