'Black Panther' director Ryan Coogler sends message to Detroit students at movie screening

The students at Thursday morning’s screening of “Black Panther” at the Royal Oak Emagine didn’t know about the surprise. Neither did the teachers.

But right there, on the big screen, was a personal greeting for about 180 Detroit middle school kids from the man who created the blockbuster Marvel movie.

”I’m so happy to be able to share this film with you guys. I wish I could be there with you guys right now in Detroit," said "Black Panther" director Ryan Coogler in a filmed introduction for the occasion. "Detroit holds a special place in my heart. I’ve been there a few times. It reminds me of the Bay Area, where I grew up, the place I call home.”

Coogler, whose movie has made $750 million globally so far, taped the message for students from Detroit Enterprise Academy and Hutchinson Elementary-Middle School, both in the southeast area of the city.

The special screening was held by the Hantz Foundation, which is focused on educational and economic development efforts in Detroit, and the Detroit Creativity Project, which brings improvisational comedy training to Detroit public school students.

The Hantz Foundation and the Detroit Creativity Project are partners in bringing improv classes to both schools. Improv gives students a chance to act and use their imagination, and it also boosts their communication and collaboration skills and fosters empathy by letting them play characters that see things from a different perspective.

“It gives our children experience with different career opportunities. It has boosted a lot of our students’ confidence. It has really changed the culture of our school,” said principal Chanavia Patterson of Detroit Enterprise Academy.

Launched in 2011 by Second City Detroit alum Marc Evan Jackson (NBC's "The Good Place") and his wife, Beth Hagenlocker, the Detroit Creativity Project is supported by working artists with strong ties to Detroit. Many of them have achieved big things in the entertainment industry.

Thursday’s taped surprise happened with the help of Jordan Vogt-Roberts, who grew up in metro Detroit and directed the 2017 monster-movie hit “Kong: Skull Island.”

Vogt-Roberts and Coogler became friends at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, where Vogt-Roberts' film, "The Kings of Summer," and Coogler's "Fruitvale Station" were among the breakout titles. A few years later, he also met and befriended Coogler's co-screenwriter on “Black Panther,” Joe Robert Cole.

When he asked both of them to speak via film to Detroit middle schoolers, they were happy to help.

The filmed greeting began with Vogt-Roberts telling the students that improv is one of his greatest tools as a filmmaker and also an important life skill that encourages taking creative chances and persisting through failure.

"Successful people generally have only have one thing in common," he said. "It’s that they never gave up.”

Then Vogt-Roberts introduced “a couple of friends of mine,” starting with Cole, who shared his experiences growing up without “a ton of money” and often having teachers who “treated me like I was stupid.”

Said Cole, “I remember how that drove me to try harder than I thought I could and to hustle to try to achieve the things that I wanted. That look that people give you, where they look at you like you can’t achieve something because of who you are or where you’re from, I think everybody involved in this film has felt that way many, many times in our lives. But none of us let it stop us.”

Cole shared something else that united those involved with "Black Panther," which has a predominantly African-American cast and a fictional setting in Wakanda, an African nation that was never colonized.

“Another thing I think we all dreamed of is seeing images of ourselves and our heritage in greatness,” he said.

Coogler concluded the greeting by saying he feels a kinship with Detroit, especially through his friendship with Vogt-Roberts.

“He’s talked a little bit about what you guys are doing. It sounds amazing, man.”

Coogler stressed that improv is an important skill to learn.

“Speaking of improv, a lot of the scenes in the film that you are about to see were achieved with that art form," he said. "Getting two great actors in a room and jumping off the script ... we were trying to get to the truth of it. “

Contact Detroit Free Press pop culture critic Julie Hinds at 313-222-6427 or jhinds@freepress.com.