Ryan Coogler’s Next Marvel Moves: Spider-Man, In the Heat of the Night, Blade?

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As a passionate admirer, I can’t help but express my awe for the extraordinary talent of Ryan Coogler. With merely five films under his direction, he has solidified his place among the greats in cinema today. His journey began with the low-budget drama “Fruitvale Station” in 2013, which not only multiplied its investment many times over but also garnered exceptional acclaim. He then ventured into the world of pre-existing intellectual properties with “Creed,” breathing new life into the Rocky franchise and delivering what is arguably its finest installment.

In 2018, he took the reins of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “Black Panther,” a film that not only marked the first Best Picture nomination for the MCU but also showcased his remarkable storytelling abilities. Now, with “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” he has demonstrated his ability to turn a challenging production, shrouded in behind-the-scenes tragedy, into both a box office success and a critically praised, emotionally resonant masterpiece.

Currently, there’s the film titled “Sinners“, which is director Ryan Coogler’s first original high-budget production. Given its exceptional rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it seems quite promising that this movie could prove to be profitable. If Coogler manages to breathe new life into the often rehashed vampire genre and create both critical and commercial success, one may wonder which classic films from the past he might rejuvenate with his distinctive, artistic touch?

Spider-Man (Live-Action Miles Morales)

The movies “Spider-Man: Into the Multiverse” and “Spider-Man: Traversing the Multiverse” are frequently recognized as among the top-tier animated films of the last ten years. They excel in every aspect, from their visuals to their casting choices.

Although we’re yet to see “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,” it’s not premature to consider bringing Miles Morales’ Spider-Man and Hailee Steinfeld’s Spider-Gwen into live-action. This is because Nicolas Cage will reappear as Spider-Man Noir in the forthcoming “Spider-Noir” TV series, and it would be beneficial to maintain the cast from the two animated movies. Shameik Moore is perfect as Morales, so it wouldn’t make sense to replace him, and getting Ryan Coogler on board would reunite him with Steinfeld following their work in “Sinners.

In the Heat of the Night

1965’s mystery novel “In the Heat of the Night” by John Ball is an engaging read that later became a similarly captivating movie experience. Both versions prominently showcased a Black protagonist grappling with a challenging murder case and prejudice. The film starred Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger, and was successful enough to spawn a long-running TV series (with Howard Rollins and Carroll O’Connor). It was also a significant critical triumph, earning accolades for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor (Rod Steiger) at the Oscars. Surprisingly, Poitier, who gave an outstanding performance, was overlooked in the acting category. However, it’s clear that he deserved recognition.

Despite not being directly adapted from any subsequent Tibbs-led novels by Ball, such as “The Cool Cottontail,” “Johnny Get Your Gun,” “Five Pieces of Jade,” “The Eyes of Buddha,” “Then Came Violence,” and “Singapore,” Poitier managed to secure a franchise from the original film. He reprised his role in the sequels, titled “They Call Me Mister Tibbs! ” (1970) and “The Organization” (1971). Remarkably, these films did not draw from any of the other novels featuring the character. However, the socially pertinent themes portrayed in “In the Heat of the Night” and to some extent its sequels remain strikingly relevant today, offering director Coogler ample room for creative exploration.

Blade (With Wesley Snipes)

Once more we find ourselves in the Marvel universe, adorned with cautionary statements. The highly anticipated debut of Blade, portrayed by Mahershala Ali, seems to remain shrouded in mystery, as it appears unlikely to make its way onto our screens anytime soon. Since 2019, Ali’s name has been linked to the project, but aside from a fleeting voice-only appearance in Eternals, he hasn’t yet joined the Marvel universe. The project has experienced numerous changes in directors, so while Ryan Coogler could potentially steer it back on course (his involvement might just do the trick), he may not be the ideal candidate for a sequel that pays homage to Wesley Snipes as the lead character.

Wakanda Forever could have easily been postponed indefinitely following Chadwick Boseman’s passing, but Coogler managed to revive the project, keep it on track, and create a masterpiece. If he can achieve that with Black Panther, he could do the same with Blade.

Sinners is in theaters. Read our review here.

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2025-04-21 17:40