Almost exactly two years ago, Ryan Coogler brought an audacious script to the Hollywood studios and asked them to bid on a package that included Coogler directing the script and Michael B. Jordan starring. Now, that script for his Warner Bros. vampire awards juggernaut Sinners has won him his first Oscar.

The filmmaker won the Academy Award for best original screenplay on Sunday night.

Coogler kicked off his acceptance speech, asking the audience, who gave him a standing ovation, Please, please, please sit down, cause Im very nervous and theyre gonna play me off. I grew up in Oakland, California, and we can talk a lot. I wanna thank the Academy for thinking of our movie that came out almost a year ago. This is an incredible honor, the filmmaker continued. I wanna thank my fellow nominees. I wanna thank yall for the gifts that yall movies were and for yalls friendship over the past years and months.

Coogler went on to thank everybody that was involved in this movie, as well as Warner Bros. and the cast and crew of Sinners. You guys are amazing, he added. Oh my God, you are all winners in my book.

Lastly, the director showed his appreciation for his wife, Zinzi Evans, their three children and his mom.

Zinzi, youre the best wife and mom in the world. Every day I get to spend with you is better than the one that came before, Coogler said. And to my parents who are here, thank yall for all the memories. Thank yall for making me believe in myself. And to my babies that are at home watching, I apologize for all the time away. Dad loves you. Memories are all we have. I hope Ive given you some great ones.

And when dad becomes just a memory, I want yall to remember this one thing: I love yall more than anything, he concluded.

The other nominees in the category were Robert Kaplow for Blue Moon; It Was Just an Accident, written by Jafar Panahi with collaborators Nader Savar, Shadmehr Rastin, Mehdi Mahmoudian; Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme; and Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value.

Before Sinners, Coogler was already known as an accomplished writer, co-writing hits such as Creed and the Black Panther movies. Sinners marks his first solo screenplay effort since Fruitvale, the Sundance drama that starred Jordan and launched both of their feature film careers. He landed his first Oscar nomination in 2021 as a producer of the best picture nominee Judas and the Black Messiah, and in 2023 was among the nominees for writing the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever best song nominee Lift Me Up.

Sinners came into the 2026 Oscars with 16 nominations, the most of any film in history.

The 98th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan OBrien, were held on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. Find the full list of winners here, and check out the red carpet arrivals.