Age: 40
male
Ryan Kyle Coogler (born May 23, 1986) is an American filmmaker. He has received an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, four Black Reel Awards, a Grammy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and ten NAACP Image Awards. Coogler directed a few short films at the USC School of Cinematic Arts before his feature-length debut with Fruitvale Station (2013). He then transitioned to directing and writing franchise films, including the Rocky series spinoff, Creed (2015), as well as the Marvel films Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). Coogler also produced the historical drama Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) and the supernatural horror film Sinners (2025), which he also wrote and directed. He received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Picture for both films, while for Sinners, he was also nominated for Best Director and won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. In 2013, he was included on Time's list of the 30 people under 30 who are changing the world. In 2018, Coogler was named the runner-up of Time's Person of the Year, and he was included in the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world. In 2021, Coogler, his wife, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian founded multimedia production company Proximity Media. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ryan Coogler, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
"Stretch: The Untold Story" will take audiences on a deep dive into the life of Randy “Stretch” Walker, a man whose legacy in hip hop has long been overshadowed by the infamous deaths of those around him. Through raw, never-before-seen footage and emotional storytelling, the film will showcase the duality of Stretch’s existence—as a loyal friend to Tupac Shakur and a burgeoning talent in the rap world, while also navigating the perils of the streets that ultimately led to his tragic death. From his early days in the gritty streets of Queens, New York, Stretch’s journey into the spotlight begins as he forms Live Squad, a rap group that pushes the boundaries of hardcore rap. His raw talent catches the attention of 2Pac, and soon, Stretch is brought into the fold of Thug Life—a revolutionary movement that would define a generation. However, as the Thug Life crew rises to fame, internal conflicts and external pressures begin to fracture relationships. The shocking 1994 shooting of Tupac Shakur in a New York recording studio is a pivotal moment in the story, marking the end of Stretch’s collaboration with the rapper and setting the stage for a tragic fall from grace. Stretch's growing sense of disillusionment with the entertainment industry, coupled with the dangerous street politics surrounding him, come to a head as he faces betrayal, violence, and ultimately, his own untimely demise.
