The back-to-back boost of “Minecraft” and “Sinners” has given Warner Bros. film chiefs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy some breathing room as they try to lead the storied Burbank-based studio through a daunting recovery period.

Yes, it's another killer Michael B. Jordan film. But the story behind the scenes, starring Ryan Coogler, is the one that you'll want to study closely.

Ryan Coogler is already getting Oscar buzz for Sinners, but he's also breathing a sigh of relief for the smart financial deal he made for the film. Like many aspiring filmmakers, Coogler had significant student loan debt from his master's degree at the University of Southern California's School of