Ava DuVernay to Helm Superhero Epic ‘The New Gods’

By Sameer Rao Mar 16, 2018

After telling multiple stories about non-comic heroes, "A Wrinkle in Time" director Ava DuVernay will now command her first superhero film, "The New Gods." 

Deadline reported yesterday (March 15) that DC Comics and Warner Bros. tapped the filmmaker to direct the movie. Though the outlet did not report the exact budget, this will be DuVernay’s second film, after "A Wrinkle in Time," with a budget over $100 million. "The New Gods" also makes DuVernay only the second woman of color to direct a major studio superhero film. Gina Prince-Bythewood was the first with "Silver & Black." Kario Salem ("Chasing Mavericks") will write the script for DuVernay’s project.

"The New Gods" is based on DC Comics characters that Jack Kirby developed after leaving Marvel for DC in the early 1970s. According to DCComics.com, the characters were part of the “New Gods" and "Fourth World" series. They are godly beings on two diametrically opposed planets: New Genesis, an idylic paradise with tremendous forests, and Apokolips, a fire-scorched dystopia. The deities of both planets battle each other for influence over the cosmos. The characters also exist outside much of the earthbound DC universe, which separates "The New Gods" from other contemporary DC films like "Wonder Woman" and "Justice League." 

DuVernay confirmed her involvement in the following Instagram post: 

 

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A post shared by Ava DuVernay (@ava) on