Warner Bros. honored Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian of Proximity Media with the Key to the Studio during celebrations for their upcoming film Sinners. The award recognizes their collaboration on the period vampire drama, set for release on April 18. The event highlighted the film's blues music elements and Warner Bros.' rebound in 2025.
Event Overview
Warner Bros. co-chairs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy presented the Key to the Studio to the Proximity Media team as part of a two-day event celebrating Sinners. This tradition, started by Jack Warner in the 1950s, honors filmmakers with deep ties to the studio. The ceremony took place at the Somerville restaurant in Los Angeles' Windsor Hills neighborhood, transformed into the film's Juke Joint setting.
Film Background
Sinners is a $95 million production directed, produced, and written by Ryan Coogler. It follows twin brothers returning from World War I to Clarksdale, Mississippi, in 1932, where they confront vampires symbolizing deeper themes. The studio offered Coogler a deal allowing ownership to revert to him after 25 years, similar to agreements with other auteurs.
Celebrations and Performances
The evening featured live music from Sinners' soundtrack, including Oscar-submitted originals "I Lied to You" and "Last Time (I Seen the Sun)." Performers included Miles Caton, Alice Smith, Raphael Saadiq, and Ludwig Göransson. The previous night, star Michael B. Jordan received the American Cinematheque Award.
Key Quotes
Pamela Abdy praised Proximity Media: "They are a family, and they are our family... visionaries, passionate, loyal." Francis Ford Coppola lauded the film as "a historical epic, a horror film, a blues music extravaganza." Zinzi Coogler thanked Warner Bros. for supporting their mission, while Ryan Coogler noted the full-circle moment tied to the studio's history with musical films like The Jazz Singer.
Attendees included cast members Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku, and others, along with industry figures like Don Cheadle. The event underscored Warner Bros.' strong 2025 performance, including $4 billion in global box office.