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Akela Cooper

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Akela Cooper
Born
Hayti, Missouri, U.S.
Alma materTruman State University
Occupation(s)Screenwriter
Television producer
Years active2012–present
Notable workThe Nun II
Malignant
M3GAN

Akela Cooper is an American horror screenwriter and television producer. She is the screenwriter of horror films including Hell Fest (2018), Malignant (2021), M3GAN (2022), and The Nun II (2023). Cooper was named in Variety's 10 Screenwriters to Watch for 2021 list.[1]

Early life and education

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Cooper was raised in Hayti, Missouri.[2] She enjoyed watching horror films with her family from childhood, including A Nightmare on Elm Street.[3][4] She described seeing Pumpkinhead when she was eight as a "core memory" that influenced her writing.[5]

She graduated from Truman State University with a degree in creative writing in 2003[6] and received her MFA from the USC School of Cinema-Television, where she was the first recipient of the NAACP/CBS Writer's Fellowship.[7]

Career

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Cooper was a staff writer for Grimm for two seasons and went on to be a writer and co-producer for The 100, American Horror Story, Luke Cage, Jupiter's Legacy, Witches of East End, and Chambers. She wrote the horror film Malignant, released in September 2021.[1] She gained wider prominence as the screenwriter of the 2022 horror film M3GAN, which grossed $180 million worldwide and received mainly positive critical reception.[3] She next wrote the screenplay for the horror film The Nun II, released in 2023.[8]

In 2021 she was announced as the showrunner for the upcoming HBO Max television adaptation of the novel Monster by A. Lee Martinez.[9] She will write the screenplay for the adaptation of a short story It's Over by Jack Follman produced by Vertigo Entertainment and Ground Control for Sony Pictures.[10]

In October 2024, it was announced that she will write and co-produce a screenplay of the comic The Lot by Marguerite Bennett for the publisher Bad Idea.[11] The strip tells the story of a Black woman chosen to head a movie studio without knowing that an occult ritual depicted in a filmmaker's latest project has awakened a dormant evil.[11] Cooper will also adapt a story about Medusa called Don't Look by Colin Bannon for Janelle Monae's Wondaland production company.[12] Cooper co-wrote the sequel to M3GAN, M3GAN 2.0 (2025).[8]

Awards and nominations

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Filmography

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Film

Year Title Notes Ref
2018 Hell Fest [16]
2021 Malignant [16]
2022 M3GAN [8]
2023 The Nun II Co-written with Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing [17]
2025 M3GAN 2.0 Story only; Co-written with Gerard Johnstone [18]

Television

Year Title Writer Producer Notes Ref.
2012 Tron: Uprising Yes No 1 episode [16]
2012–13 Grimm Yes No 3 episodes [1]
2014 Witches of East End Yes Yes 1 episode [1]
2014–2015 The 100 Yes Yes 3 episodes [1]
2016 American Horror Story Yes Supervising 1 episode [1]
2016–18 Luke Cage Yes Yes 4 episodes [13]
2018–19 Avengers Assemble Yes No 2 episodes
2019 Chambers Yes Executive 1 episode [1]
2021 Jupiter's Legacy Yes Executive 1 episode [1]
2022 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Yes Executive 2 episodes [19][20]
TBA Monster TBA TBA Showrunner [9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Hailu, Selome (2021-09-28). "Variety Announces 10 Screenwriters to Watch for 2021". Variety. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  2. ^ "AKELA COOPER | Television Workshop". televisionworkshop.warnerbros.com. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  3. ^ a b Jackson, Destiny (2024-05-21). "Genre-Busting Writer Akela Cooper Is Twisting The Rules On Horror: "I Am Trailblazing For Those Who Want To Do This As A Career"". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
  4. ^ Ruiz, Michelle (2023-01-18). "'M3gan' Screenwriter Akela Cooper on Killer Dolls and the Return of Campy, B-Movie Horror". Vogue. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
  5. ^ Cooper, Akela (2024-10-09). "Best Horror Movies: 'M3GAN' Writer Akela Cooper on How Seeing Stan Winston's 'Pumpkinhead' Became a 'Crucial Core Memory'". Variety. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
  6. ^ tmiles (23 January 2014). "Writing for the Small Screen". Truman Review. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
  7. ^ "NAACP and CBS Create Fellowship at USC". USC News. 2005-10-19. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  8. ^ a b c Ramos, Dino-Ray (2019-04-15). "'The Nun' Sequel Sets 'Luke Cage's Akela Cooper As Screenwriter". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  9. ^ a b Otterson, Joe (2021-05-27). "Berlanti Productions' Karyn Smith-Forge to Serve as President of Don Cheadle's This Radicle Act (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 2021-10-04. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  10. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (2023-10-02). "In First Auction Since WGA Strike End, Sony Lands 'It's Over;' 'M3GAN's Akela Cooper Scripting Jack Follman Horror Short Story". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
  11. ^ a b Kit, Borys (2024-10-17). "'M3GAN' Writer Akela Cooper to Adapt Hollywood Horror Comic 'The Lot' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
  12. ^ "Janelle Monáe and M3GAN screenwriter are developing a Medusa movie". AV Club. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
  13. ^ a b Lewis, Hilary (10 February 2017). "2017 NAACP Image Award Winners: Complete List". THR. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  14. ^ "Black*ish Paces the Black Reel Awards for Television Field". The Black Reel Awards. 2017-06-15. Archived from the original on 2017-08-12. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  15. ^ Taylor, Drew (2024-07-08). "Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Nominees Include New Video Game Category | Exclusive". TheWrap. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
  16. ^ a b c "Rotten Tomatoes: Akela Cooper". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2022-02-25.
  17. ^ "'Nun 2' In Production With 'Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It' Director Michael Chaves". Collider. 2022-04-29. Retrieved 2022-04-30.
  18. ^ "M3gan 2.0 WGA Directory". Writers Guild of America West. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  19. ^ Lovett, Jamie (2022-05-18). "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Episode 3 Photos and Clip Released: Ghosts of Illyria". ComicBook.com. Retrieved 2022-05-20.
  20. ^ Petski, Denise (2021-03-12). "'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds': Paramount+ Series Adds Five To Cast As Production Begins". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-02-25.
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