Tyler Perry drew criticism after publicly sharing that he advised Ryan Coogler on how to land a rare ownership deal for his upcoming film Sinners, a move some online called self-serving and unnecessary.
During an appearance on Kirk Franklin’s “Den of Kings” podcast, Perry said he reached out to Coogler following the success of Black Panther to offer guidance on negotiating creative and financial control over Sinners.
“This deal with Ryan Coogler, everybody’s talking about this Sinners deal,” Perry began. “I called him up after Black Panther, and I said, ‘Listen. Here’s how you do it.'”
Perry explained that he walked Coogler through the structure of a deal similar to the one he secured nearly two decades ago for Diary of a Mad Black Woman, which launched the Madea franchise and gave him long-term control of his work.
“I called him up and said, ‘Here is how you do that deal,'” Perry added. “To see that they were able to pull it off, I applaud him, man. I’m excited for him. Because that’s what it’s about. Holding on to the ownership.”
Tyler Perry said he helped Ryan Coogler get ownership for Sinners, the film has now made over $400 million and became the highest grossing original black film:
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) July 25, 2025
“Everybody talking about this deal Ryan Coogler had for Sinners, the deal that he has I did that almost 20 years ago… pic.twitter.com/FKJaI0exb8
Tyler Perry Called Out Over Ryan Coogler Remarks
While Perry praised Coogler’s achievement as a rare win in an industry dominated by studios, many on social media weren’t impressed with the director’s revelation.
One user wrote, “i feel like this is something for Coogler to come out and say lol it comes off hella egoistic coming from Tyler unprovoked.”
Another chimed in, “unpopular opinion: there’s an unspoken rule of thumb where you shouldn’t really share the unseen details of your experience with someone unless they tell it themselves first. feel like that applies here. I understand the intention behind it and it being a good example for the industry, but it should’ve been told from the other POV.”
A third user referenced Perry’s ongoing legal issues, saying, “He’s Saying everything but responding to the allegations.”
Coogler’s Sinners deal is being hailed as a rare feat in Hollywood. The agreement gives him final cut authority, a first-dollar gross payout, and ownership of the film’s rights after 25 years—terms that are almost unheard of for original, non-franchise projects.
The film’s structure means Coogler will eventually control revenue from streaming, merchandise, licensing and more, long after the film’s theatrical run.