Director Ava DuVernay wrinkled time. Now, she's making a superhero movie.
According to Deadline, the Selma director — who recently united Mindy Kaling, Oprah Winfrey, and Reese Witherspoon for her adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle In Time — will now helm The New Gods, a soon-to-be DC Comics flick based on the popular Jack Kirby comics.
New Gods will tell the story of all-powerful beings who live on two separate planets — a hell-esque landscape, and one that resembles paradise. The comics do not connect with the action happening within the Justice League universe, though it's unclear if the film version will.
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DuVernay became the first woman of colour to direct a movie with over a $100 million dollar budget, and now, she'll also be the first woman of colour running the show on a major comic book movie. And not just any comic book movie: One starring her admitted favourite superhero.
"Gosh, that's hard," tweeted DuVernay when asked who her favourite superhero was in December of 2017. "Big Barda. Many reasons."
Big Barda, as comic fans know, is one of the titular "New Gods." She's also stronger than her husband, Mister Miracle, which may make her my favourite superhero, too.
Gosh, that's hard. Big Barda. Many reasons. #askava https://t.co/3qxGDq7mHe
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) December 27, 2017
Shortly after the news was announced on Deadline, DuVernay shared a photo of writer Kirby to her Twitter account.
"'Our dreams make us large.' Thank you, #JackKirby," she wrote.
“Our dreams make us large.”
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) March 15, 2018
Thank you, #JackKirby. pic.twitter.com/gv3SiccV6a
DuVernay also had a recent interaction with Patty Jenkins, director of Wonder Woman. Jenkins praised the Wrinkle In Time director for taking the fantasy story to the big screen.
"My son just said 'I wish I had a time machine so that I could go back and see @WrinkleInTime again for the first time!' That’s how much we enjoyed the beauty of the message and feeling like he was being included in something that didn’t condescend. Thank you for that, @Ava."
My son just said “I wish I had a time machine so that I could go back and see @WrinkleInTime again for the first time!” That’s how much we enjoyed the beauty of the message and feeling like he was being included in something that didn’t condescend. Thank you for that, @Ava.
— Patty Jenkins (@PattyJenks) March 15, 2018
To which DuVernay responded:
"Designed #WrinkleInTime especially for our young ones, Patty. So his response thrills me. Thanks for taking your sweet boy. Look forward to seeing you around the block soon, lady. xo"
Designed #WRINKLEINTIME especially for our young ones, Patty. So his response thrills me. Thanks for taking your sweet boy. Look forward to seeing you around the block soon, lady. xo https://t.co/3MUGPV8fHH
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) March 15, 2018
To paraphrase Beyoncé: "Who run the DC Comics cinematic world? Girls."