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