Directors Ryan Coogler and Spike Lee shared insights into their latest projects during Variety's Directors on Directors series in midtown Manhattan. Coogler highlighted the challenges of securing backing for his vampire film Sinners, while Lee explained his reinterpretation of a Kurosawa classic. The conversation touched on their enduring actor partnerships and the power of cinema.
In a lively exchange for Variety's Directors on Directors, Ryan Coogler and Spike Lee reflected on their bold 2025 releases. Coogler described how he leveraged his success from Black Panther to convince Warner Bros. to fund Sinners, a $90 million vampire story set in the segregated South. He secured a deal returning the film's copyright after 25 years, despite initial rejections from other studios over demands like final cut and ownership. The gamble paid off, with Sinners emerging as a box-office hit and Oscar contender.
Lee detailed Highest 2 Lowest, his collaboration with Denzel Washington that reimagines Akira Kurosawa's High and Low. Shifting the story from postwar Japan to modern New York, Lee cast Washington as a music mogul akin to Berry Gordy, infusing hip-hop elements into the morality tale. 'All money ain't good money,' Lee's character declares, echoing themes of ethics and loyalty. The project marked their fifth joint effort, 20 years after Inside Man, built on 'love and trust' without constant socializing.
The directors bonded over their leading men: Coogler's five films with Michael B. Jordan, starting from Fruitvale Station, and Lee's history with Washington. Coogler praised Jordan's versatility in portraying twins—one a killer, the other a manipulator—in Sinners, challenging audience sympathies. They also emphasized cinema's communal value amid streaming's rise. 'I believe in cinema,' Coogler said, noting theaters prevent pausing during intense moments. Lee agreed, lamenting studios' hesitance on risks but celebrating their shared passion for storytelling.
