Akela Cooper
Akela Cooper is an American screenwriter and television producer. She is notable as the screenwriter of horror films, such as Hell Fest (2018), Malignant (2021), M3GAN (2022), The Nun II (2023), and M3GAN 2.0 (2025). Cooper was named to Variety's 10 Screenwriters to Watch for 2021 list.[1]
Akela Cooper | |
---|---|
Born | Hayti, Missouri, U.S. |
Alma mater | Truman State University |
Occupation(s) | Screenwriter Television producer |
Years active | 2012–present |
Early life and education
Cooper was raised in Hayti, Missouri.[2] She graduated from Truman State University with a degree in creative writing in 2003[3] and received her MFA from the USC School of Cinema-Television, where she was the first recipient of the NAACP/CBS Writer's Fellowship.[4]
Career
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 is the screenwriter of the upcoming sequel to the horror film The Nun, as well as the 2022 horror film M3GAN and its sequel.[5] Cooper was announced as the showrunner for the upcoming HBO Max television adaptation of the novel Monster by A. Lee Martinez.[6]
Filmography
Film writer
Television
Year | Title | Writer | Producer | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Tron: Uprising | Yes | No | 1 episode | [7] |
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 | [10] |
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 | [11][12] |
TBA | Monster | TBA | TBA | Showrunner | [6] |
Awards and nominations
- 2017 – Nominee, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series (for Luke Cage)[10]
- 2017 – Nominee, Black Reel Award for Outstanding Drama Series (for Luke Cage)[13]
References
- Hailu, Selome (2021-09-28). "Variety Announces 10 Screenwriters to Watch for 2021". Variety. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- "AKELA COOPER | Television Workshop". televisionworkshop.warnerbros.com. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- tmiles. "Writing for the Small Screen". Truman Review. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
- "NAACP and CBS Create Fellowship at USC". USC News. 2005-10-19. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- Ramos, Dino-Ray (2019-04-15). "'The Nun' Sequel Sets 'Luke Cage's Akela Cooper As Screenwriter". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
- 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.
- "Rotten Tomatoes: Akela Cooper". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2022-02-25.
- "'Nun 2' In Production With 'Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It' Director Michael Chaves". Collider. 2022-04-29. Retrieved 2022-04-30.
- 'M3GAN 2.0' To Happen In 2025
- Lewis, Hilary (10 February 2017). "2017 NAACP Image Award Winners: Complete List". THR. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
- 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.
- Petski, Denise (2021-03-12). "'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds': Paramount+ Series Adds Five To Cast As Production Begins". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-02-25.
- "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.