Fresh off an Oscar-winning run for Sinners, the powerhouse trio of Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian depart Disney for a massive streaming alliance.
LOS ANGELES — In one of the most significant Hollywood shake-ups of the year, Netflix has pulled off a major programming heist. The streaming giant has officially signed a multi-year creative partnership with Proximity Media, the multi-platform production banner founded by blockbuster filmmaker Ryan Coogler, Golden Globe-winning producer Zinzi Coogler, and acclaimed screenwriter Sev Ohanian.
The exclusive pact dictates that Proximity’s television division will develop and produce its next slate of original scripted series solely for Netflix. The move comes immediately after Proximity’s five-year overall television deal with Disney expired earlier this year, marking a symbolic shifting of the tides in the hyper-competitive war for elite creative talent.
Trading Ryans: The Industry Landscape Shift
Industry insiders are viewing the migration as a definitive creative trade-off. While Disney recently welcomed back mega-producer Ryan Murphy from Netflix, Netflix has now countered by scooping up Coogler—one of Disney’s most reliable corporate pillars, who famously directed Marvel’s cultural and box-office phenomena Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The announcement also timed out alongside a broader Hollywood executive shuffle, coinciding with Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson departing Warner Bros. to secure her own mega-deal at Disney’s 20th Television.
For Netflix, locking down Proximity represents a massive victory. Ryan Coogler is operating at the absolute peak of his creative powers; his 2025 vampire fantasy feature Sinners (starring Michael B. Jordan) grossed a staggering $365 million to become the year’s highest-earning original movie, ultimately landing Coogler an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
A Proven Television Pedigree
Under the leadership of Vice President of Television Simone Harris, Proximity Media’s television arm has already built a highly lucrative, multi-genre track record. During their tenure under the Disney umbrella, the banner spearheaded several highly anticipated projects:
- Marvel Studios’ Ironheart: The upcoming live-action Disney+ series expanding the tech-narrative of the MCU.
- Marvel’s Eyes of Wakanda: A highly anticipated animated exploration of Wakandan history.
- National Geographic’s Hurricane Katrina: A Race Against Time: A definitive docuseries that hit number one on Hulu and set records as National Geographic’s most-watched series ever on domestic Disney streaming.
”We started Proximity Media with a simple goal: to tell event-driven stories that bring people in close proximity with often overlooked subjects. As we continue to expand Proximity’s television business, we’re thrilled to partner with Netflix, a company that has consistently demonstrated its commitment to distinctive creators and original storytelling.”
— Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian, Joint Press Statement
What’s Next in the Pipeline?
While the new contract binds all future Proximity television development exclusively to Netflix, the company is currently wrapping up existing commitments that were grandfathered in before the transition.
The team is currently producing high-profile pilots that landed orders earlier this year, including a highly anticipated reboot of The X-Files starring Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel at Hulu, as well as a star-studded live-action adaptation of the comic series Southern Bastards for premium cable, starring Kevin Bacon, Erin Kellyman, and Tim McGraw.
Jinny Howe, Netflix’s Head of U.S. and Canada Scripted Series, expressed immense enthusiasm about welcoming the Proximity stable to the streamer’s production campus alongside studio executive Nne Ebong. “The company’s founders have cultivated an award-winning television division that continues to push the boundaries of storytelling,” Howe noted. “We look forward to bringing their next slate of groundbreaking series to life.”
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