Ava DuVernay Signs Huge Warner Bros Deal Worth $100 Million

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published 28 November 2018

Ava DuVernay has just signed a multi-year, multi-genre $100 million deal with Warner Brothers that starts in January 2019. It's her first deal with any studio, and it essentially means that she'll be able to branch out and create all kinds of of new content for the entertainment company.

As reported by Deadline, the deal includes "drama and comedy series, documentaries, digital content, event projects and longer-form projects for broadcast and cable, premium cable, streaming services and other platforms."

This is a huge move for DuVernay, because thus far she's primarily been known as a director. DuVernay has already been breaking barriers in Hollywood, making history when she became the first woman of color to direct a movie with more than $100 million budget—last year's A Wrinkle in Time.

She just released a short film, August 28, which is just the latest example of how much range she has. Her recent projects have included the Oscar-nominated Selma (2014), the Netflix documentary 13th about incarceration in the U.S., and the TV drama Queen Sugars that's now in its fourth season.

DuVernay hinted at some of the things that might be coming, noting that while Warner Bros. is a more traditional studio, it's "stirring with untraditional energy and fresh protocols for intentional, inclusive image-making. Warner Bros is a terrific partner about matters of visibility and belonging for all kinds and cultures of people."

Even better, the deal won't prevent DuVernay from working on other projects, including her new indie film distribution company ARRAY.

On her Instagram, DuVernay added: “Couldn’t be happier to call Warner Bros TV my production home.”

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This is huge news for DuVernay, and it's a sign of big things to come.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.