Code M Magazine names Will Packer its 2026 Man of the Year

Code M Magazine will honor producer Will Packer on Dec. 4 in Cleveland for his impact on film, television, entrepreneurship and Black cultural storytelling. The award will be presented on Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.'s Founders' Day.

Why it matters: - The award spotlights a Black Hollywood executive whose work has shaped studio-scale film and television for more than three decades. - The recognition also underscores the growing visibility of Black storytellers and producers in mainstream entertainment.

What happened: - Code M Magazine named Will Packer its 2026 Man of the Year. - The award will be presented Dec. 4, 2026, at The City Club of Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio. - Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. General President Lucien J. Metellus Jr. will present the honor. - The presentation will take place on Alpha Phi Alpha's 120th Founders' Day. - The event follows 2025 recipient Attorney Benjamin Crump.

The details: - Packer is founder and CEO of Will Packer Productions and Will Packer Media. - Code M Magazine is a national platform focused on Black male achievement in business, culture, media and community impact. - Packer's films have grossed more than $1 billion worldwide. - His best-known projects include Girls Trip, Ride Along, Think Like a Man and Night School. - Recent credits include the Netflix film 72 Hours, which spent four consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Netflix's Global Top 10. - Universal Pictures' You, Me & Tuscany featured two Black leads and became the first wide-release studio romantic comedy in more than a decade to do so. - Packer also produced Peacock's limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist. - Will Packer Productions, founded in 2013, has additional credits including Straight Outta Compton, The Photograph, Little, What Men Want and Stomp the Yard. - Packer served as lead producer of the 94th Oscars in 2022, becoming the first Black producer and producing team to preside over the Academy Awards. - That work earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Variety Special Live. - Packer is also the author of Who Better Than You? The Art of Healthy Arrogance and Dreaming Big, a New York Times and USA Today bestseller. - In 2024, Packer became one of four new limited partners in the Atlanta Falcons ownership group. - Packer is a magna cum laude graduate of Florida A&M University with a degree in electrical engineering. - Packer also holds an honorary doctorate from the Savannah College of Art and Design. - Metellus was elected to lead Alpha Phi Alpha on Jan. 12, 2024, and took office Jan. 1, 2025. - Metellus is a Haitian-American leader and Syracuse University graduate with more than two decades of service in Alpha Phi Alpha. - Metellus also has more than 20 years of experience in information technology as a project manager and senior business analyst. - Doors open at 5:00 p.m., a reception begins at 5:30 p.m. and the formal program starts at 7:00 p.m. - Credentialing details for the event will be announced in the coming weeks.

Between the lines: - Code M Magazine is using the award to frame Packer as more than a hitmaker, emphasizing legacy, access and cultural influence. - The timing on Founders' Day links the honor to Black Greek-letter history and institutional recognition. - Packer's mix of box office success, streaming reach and business ownership makes him a rare cross-platform entertainment figure.

What's next: - Code M Magazine said credentialing details will be released in the coming weeks. - The Cleveland ceremony will serve as the public presentation of the award on Dec. 4. - More information is available through Code M Magazine's social channels, including the company's LinkedIn page, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and X.

The bottom line: - Code M Magazine is honoring Will Packer for turning commercial success into lasting influence across Hollywood, business and Black storytelling.