Ryan Coogler on Michael B. Jordan Oscar Buzz: “He stepped it up to another level”

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners has been one of the year’s most successful films, and it’s earned raves for both the director and his cast. Star Michael B. Jordan’s dual performance as twin brothers Smoke and Stack Moore is even generating Oscar buzz. In an interview with Variety, Coogler praises his leading man. 

“I do think he stepped it up to another level on this,” Coogler said of Jordan’s performance in Sinners. “We asked him to do this difficult thing technically, playing two different characters, but it also was a performance that we needed to have the backstory that we had before to pull this off. To see him recognized by his peers and other folks in the industry, I know that would mean a lot to him.”

Jordan has routinely drawn praise whenever he teams with Coogler. Their acclaimed filmography also includes Fruitvale Station, Creed and Black Panther. Released theatrically in April, Sinners grossed $367 million worldwide.

It has also been announced that Coogler is helming a reboot of the popular sci-fi series X-Files. He acknowledged to Variety that the project is a love letter to his mother. 

“Like my relationship with Rocky with my dad,” Coogler explained, referencing his work on the Rocky spinoff/sequel Creed. "The X-Files is one of those things with my mom.

“My mom means the world to me — she’s actually here tonight — so this is a big one for me. I want to do right by her and the fans. My mom has read some of the stuff I wrote for it. She’s fired up.”