What’s next for Ryan Coogler after “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever“? THR reports that it’ll be a reunion for the filmmaker and his frequent leading man Michael B. Jordan. The duo have worked on all four of Coogler’s movies together, with Jordan the leading man in three (he cameos as Killmonger in “Wakanda Forever”). And since “Fruitvale Station” and “Creed” are arguably stronger films than Coogler’s MCU entries, it’s good news to hear the director will move on from superhero movies.
READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2024
But what’s Coogler and Jordan’s new project anyway? Hollywood is buzzing about the upcoming film, but Coogler is playing it close to the chest. THR knows that it’s a first spec script, Coogler’s first since “Fruitvale Station,” that the director developed through his Proximity Media banner. And it’s an original idea from Coogler, too, which he describes as a “genre” feature. Now genre could mean anything: sci-fi, horror, western, fantasy, thriller; the list goes on. But sources say it has period-piece elements, so the project really could be anything.
On top of writing and directing, Coogler also produces the feature with Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian through Proximity Media. But why all of the secrecy? Coogler is being super-methodical about presenting the film to interest parties. A smart move for an in-demand director looking for creative control, but it’s sure to raise a few eyebrows. Obviously, Coogler wants as much leverage as possible for his new film. And he arguably has it already, considering how well “Black Panther” did in theaters in 2018, not to mention its Oscar Best Picture nod.
As this project develops, it’ll be interesting to see if it comes before Jordan helms the next entry of the “Creed” series. Coogler directed the 2015 film that introduced Jordan as Adonis Creed. But the actor helmed last year’s “Creed III” in his directorial debut, with many championing the film’s muscular visual style. Jordan starts developing a sequel soon, so it’ll be curious to see whether that comes before or after Coogler’s latest.
Also, it’s great that Coogler exits the MCU and return to an original project. Ten-plus years on, “Fruitvale Station” still feels like a slept-on debut despite unanimous critical praise. A genre vehicle wouldn’t be a return to that film’s biographical roots, but a self-developed project is good news for fans of the director. Stay tuned for what this secret project for Coogler and Jordan ends up being.
