Michael B. Jordan Reveals His Master Plan

Michael B. Jordan had ambitious ideas for this interview’s setting—at least initially. Fishing. Maybe go-karting. (His team even floated archery, a suggestion that still amuses him when I bring it up later.) But those were the plans of a Mike who thought he’d have more free time. The Mike sitting across from me this weekend is in full-on work mode. So much so that, over the three days we cross paths, he’s in the same no-nonsense uniform: black hoodie, black sweats or jeans. He’s in the early, demanding stages of making a movie—his second as a director—and go-karts will have to wait. Instead, he’s opted for a late brunch at Granville, a restaurant not far from his home.

Is he a regular? I ask. Not exactly. “This is my first time physically being in here,” Jordan admits, glancing around and approving of the ambiance. “I order from here all the time.” Classic MBJ. Why go somewhere when you can just have it delivered? Why step out and risk chipping away at a privacy that becomes harder to maintain with each box office smash?

It’s an unseasonably warm December afternoon in Studio City, and Jordan has been moving at this relentless pace all year—not just as an actor and budding director-producer, but across various non-film-related ventures that are claiming more of his focus these days. “I think part of the goal,” he explains, “is to get to a place where my life, or anything around it, doesn’t change if I suddenly decide I don’t want to work this year or next. I might want to spend time doing other things.”

From the outside, though, 2024 seemed like a quiet year for him—no major public appearances, no film releases, no tabloid-fueling dating rumors. He’s been so off the grid that when he finally posted an Instagram photo dump earlier this month, fans immediately flooded the comments: “We definitely miss seeing your face!” and “Guys, wake up! Our husband posted.” When I ask about his low-key online presence, he laughs. “That’s kind of by design. It works for my personality because I don’t like sharing a lot anyway. I’ve realized that just being myself in that way adds to the mystique—people wanting to know what I’m up to. Which I also know fuels other things, too.”

So, what has Michael B. Jordan been up to? For starters, reuniting with his most trusted collaborator, writer-director Ryan Coogler, for their latest project, Sinners, set to release this spring. The film takes bold creative swings—and lands most of them—while offering a unique showcase for Jordan the actor. But instead of mapping out a vacation post-promo tour, he’s already looking ahead to 2026. He’s deep in preproduction for his next project, a remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, which he’ll both direct and star in. In fact, our brunch at Granville is sandwiched between two major Thomas Crown meetings.