Kamal Ghorui
After his big Oscars win in 2026 for ‘Sinners’, Michael B. Jordan isn’t slowing down. If anything, he’s doubling down on artistic ambition and making his mark worldwide. Winning Best Actor for playing twin brothers Smoke and Stack in Ryan Coogler’s directorial didn’t just put him at the top of Hollywood’s A-list. It also showed what happens when he teams up with Ryan Coogler, a partnership that’s become one of the most reliable in modern movies, and paved the way for future projects.Now that the ‘Sinners’ era is over, what’s next?Before we jump into that, let’s rewind ‘Sinners’ Oscars run, along with MBJ’s historic win.
‘Sinners’ shining at the Oscars
At the 98th Academy Awards, Jordan’s performance in ‘Sinners’ blew people away. Playing both twins, each with their own scars and dreams, pushed him to new heights, and it paid off. This was his first Oscar win, his first nomination, and it put him on a very short list of Black actors to take home Best Actor.For the unversed, Jordan and Coogler have been working together for over a decade now, going all the way back to ‘Fruitvale Station’, then ‘Creed’, then ‘Black Panther’. ‘Sinners’ just took things to a whole new level for them. The film, set in Jim Crow-era Mississippi, blends history, music, crime, and a touch of the supernatural. Jordan’s characters come back home to open a juke joint with money from their old life in Chicago, trying to do some good for their community.‘Sinners’ was a force at the Oscars, grabbing four awards out of sixteen nominations. Coogler won Best Original Screenplay, making history as only the second Black writer to do so. Autumn Durald Arkapaw made history too, as the first woman and the first Black woman to win Best Cinematography. Ludwig Göransson took home Best Original Score.When Michael B. Jordan’s name was announced for the Best Actor, on stage, Jordan’s speech was pure class. He honored legends before him: Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forrest Whitaker, and Will Smith.“I stand here because of the people that came before me: Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forrest Whitaker, Will Smith,” he said, looking out at the crowd. “Thank you, everybody in this room and everybody at home, for supporting me over my career. I feel it. I know you guys want me to do well, and I want to do that because you guys bet on me.”
What’s next for Michael B. Jordan?
Jordan’s Academy Award-winning celebrations were a mix of Hollywood glitz and down-to-earth charm. The photo of him at In-N-Out with his Oscar went viral, which was proof that he’s still just a guy who loves a good burger. But when it comes to carving his niche more, he’s not lazing around. In fact, he’s already deep into his next project.Up first, per Collider, he’s starring in ‘Swapped’, an animated fantasy for Netflix, set to drop May 1, 2026. He voices the lead in a wild body-swap story, joined by Juno Temple and Tracy Morgan.Per Vanity Fair, he’s also taking on ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’, where he’s not just starring, but directing too. He already proved he could do well behind the camera as well with ‘Creed III’, and now he’s going even further.After that, per Deadline, there’s ‘Miami Vice’ in the works, with Jordan set to play Rico Tubbs. Joseph Kosinski is directing, and it’s scheduled for release in August 2027.And of course, he’s not done with ‘Creed’. Jordan’s coming back for ‘Creed IV’, both starring as Adonis and directing the film. While it’s still early days and there’s no release date yet, he’s made it clear: Creed’s story isn’t over.
