'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAIBAAAQMCBwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgABBAMRBSEiIzFBUf/EABUBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAB/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAh/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDAoUmXiLSzkVWNz3DM7kTvze/qmVKWss+3REd1q3//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In early 2022, Ryan Coogler, the director of Black Panther, had an awkward and uncalled-for situation happen to him at a Bank of America in Atlanta. He was just trying to take out $12,000 from his account, which is a lot of money but not unheard of for someone like him, right? But he gave the bank teller a note asking them to keep it on the down-low.
It basically said:
"I would like to withdraw $12,000 cash from my checking account. Please do the money count somewhere else. I'd like to be discreet."
But the teller got it wrong. They ended up calling the local cops, and the next thing you know, Coogler's in handcuffs right there in the bank.
Coogler, the director of movies like Black Panther and Creed, couldn't believe what was happening to him. He was just following the rules.
So, while this went down, he talked to one of the officers, visibly frustrated:
"She asked to see my ID; I gave it to her."
Fast-forward to 2025, and a video of the mess comes out again. Naturally, people get upset because it looks like another case of systemic racism. The ordeal is still a hot topic, with folks arguing about whether it was just a misunderstanding or a bigger problem with how we treat people who don't look a certain way.
Why was Black Panther director Ryan Coogler arrested?
The situation went down when Coogler walked into the bank and gave a note to the teller asking for $12,000 in cash. It's normal to do this when they're taking out a big chunk of money, just to keep things on the hush-hush. But, things took a weird turn when the teller, thinking it might be a stick-up, called the cops.
Next thing you know, the police show up with their guns out, all because the Black Panther director was trying to get his own money. He had his debit card, his PIN, and his ID, so it wasn't like he was trying to pull a fast one. They ended up putting him in handcuffs, all based on the teller's suspicion.
Speaking with police, Coogler said,
“At the bank, she never said it was a problem. I put my own card in, my own PIN. Next thing I know, I’m hearing a Glock being pulled out.”
When Coogler talked to the police, he was upset and wanted to know who he was dealing with, so he asked for their badge numbers. It turned out he was right to be steamed. They checked him out and realized it was all a misunderstanding. They let him go once they figured out he was famous and needed some cash.
Bank of America said sorry for the mix-up, stating,
“We deeply regret that this incident occurred. It never should have happened.”
But the Black Panther director knew they were just trying to smooth things over. He couldn't help but think it shouldn't have gone down that way at all.
Renewed public outrage to Black Panther director's arrest
A video that recently resurfaced on X (formerly Twitter) caused a massive uproar across the internet, shining a light on the all-too-familiar problem of racial profiling.
Posted on January 7, 2025, it really hit a nerve and showed just how ridiculous things can get, stating,
This video went viral, and at the time of writing, it's been viewed over 13 million times. Quickly, people, including Black Panther fans, took notice.
One user, @youngblesstmoni, couldn't hold back their frustration. They posted:
“Ryan Coogler, a world-renowned filmmaker, subjected to suspicion and humiliation for trying to access his own money. Racism doesn’t pause for success or status.”
And they weren't the only ones feeling that way. @DRtheSETTA went a step further, demanding a legal response to what happened to the Black Panther director.
They wrote,
“This whole video screams lawsuit.”
But the backlash wasn't just about the police. @BackKing2018 had some choice words for the bank employee who was involved, saying,
“A Black woman called the police on a Black man because he had money. Ppl working in banks hating you for having access to money they don’t.”
This situation highlighted racism and how it affects our everyday lives. It's sparked a fresh wave of people calling for change, like fixing the systemic issues that lead to these kinds of incidents in the first place.
Ryan Coogler’s legacy and future projects
Ryan Coogler directed Black Panther, which smashed the box office with over $1.3 billion in tickets sold all around the globe. People dig his style because he tells stories that hit you right in the feels and mean something important.
But, when all this craziness went down, he was knee-deep in working on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Creed III. And guess what? Both movies turned out to be huge hits, too, just like the ones before them.
But even with all that going on, Coogler had his head in the game. He's using what happened to him to make his stories even more powerful. And his dedication to putting the spotlight on strong Black communities touches hearts everywhere.
Trending
You can stream Black Panther and its sequel on Disney+. And if you're more into the Creed movies, you'll find those on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.
Next: Captain America's new connection with Black Panther
Reply
