It's a god time to be a horror fan, with the genre's latest entry being Ryan Coogler's Sinners. One of the best horror movies in recent memory, the acclaimed filmmaker is celebrating another box office and critical victory. And he also recently shared his take on why Hollywood needs more women directors.

Sinners continues to be a powerhouse at the box office, with the Black Panther filmmaker getting his flowers for creating such a dynamic and emotionally grounded horror flick. But he's also putting a spotlight on some of his fellow filmmakers, such as Ava DuVernay. While speaking with Variety about the project, he ended up praising her work, as well as that of other women directors. As he put it:

Obviously he wasn't really "off the record", and would go on to double down on his assessment that women are better filmmakers than men. For her part, DuVernay has done some truly masterful film work. Seriously, her work on Origin was one of the most moving films I've ever seen.

In that same interview, the Sinners director doubled down on his comments, and explained why women directors are so uniquely skilled at their work. In his words:

I love his take on this. The power of representation in the media has been a hot button subject for years now, especially how few women directors are given big budget movies. Not to mention how few female women have been nominated for Best Director at the Academy Awards. And per Coogler's assessment, this is negatively affecting the industry as a whole. Because better movies means a better world of film for everyone to work in.

Of course, Ava DuVernay isn't the only modern female filmmaker who is making waves in the industry. She's joined by the likes of directors like Chloé Zhao, Emerald Fennell, and Greta Gerwig. These names have had a number of snubs and successes, and Ryan Coogler seems to think that women need to be given more movies to direct overall. I gotta say, I'm down for this.

Sinners is in theaters now and continues to perform at the box office as part of the 2025 movie release list. We'll just have to see what Ryan Coogler has up his sleeve next for us.

One of the reasons many of us love following celebrities so much is because they go places and have experiences that many of us simply never will. That includes going to awards shows and getting all gussied up in some of the fanciest, most expensive clothes and accessories around. With the bulk of this year’s award season now over, let’s take a look at 32 great pairs of shoes that stars sported recently as they walked the red carpet.

Annette Bening 

Looks for any award show can vary wildly, but we do typically see ladies in high heels of some sort. Actress Annette Benning did step out in heels, but she chose some of a chunky platform sandal variety that likely added some literal stability to her chic, flowy outfit.

Ryan Gosling

Sure, men’s fashion doesn’t usually lend itself to wild shoewear choices on the red carpet, but that’s OK. Barbie cast member/Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling went with a great pair of shiny black shoes to accent his black (and slightly sparkly) tux and red socks, and they work perfectly.

Danielle Brooks

You’re going to see that black, overall, was a popular shoe color choice for 2024’s award shows, and The Color Purple Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks made a good pick to go with her very glamorous Dolce Gabbana gown. The sandals feature a shapely high heel and pearl accents that kick the look up a couple of notches.

Cynthia Erivo

Not only did Cynthia Erivo and her co-star Ariana Grande decide to represent their Wicked characters via their fashion choices for the Academy Awards, but Erivo took her green Elphaba theme to the hilt with her platform shoes with striated shades of emerald.

Billie Eilish

One cannot deny the importance of comfort when talking shoes, and award winning singer/songwriter Billie Eilish definitely deserves props for choosing a round-toe mary jane style that even allowed her to wear full-on shocks to the Oscars.

Florence Pugh

Florence Pugh has had no shortage of amazing fashion moments, and it appears that they won’t let up anytime soon. The star looked wonderful at the Oscars, and walked tall in a super chunky, mirrored platform sandal to complete her look.

Colman Domingo

As the star of the lauded civil rights drama, Rustin, Colman Domingo made numerous appearances on red carpets recently, but his decision to head to the Academy Awards in custom Louis Vuitton cowboy boots (in black with gold accents) has absolutely put him near the top of everyone’s fashionable celeb list.

Emily Blunt

Never mind the Oscar dress with the floating shoulders, most would likely say that Emily Blunt’s silver heels with a little half-bow across her toes managed to actually steal the show from her gorgeously constructed cream and silver gown.

Mahershala Ali

Again, men don’t always think to step up their shoe game for red carpets, but Mahershala Ali certainly did. His graphic black and white loafers with a slight heel absolutely helped him stand out in a sea of men with black footwear.

Ava DuVernay

Director Ava DuVernay looked lovely in her powder blue ensemble, and her silver shoes with a little bit of a platform went nicely with the buckled straps of her off-the-shoulder dress.

Carly Pearce

People came out in their finest for the CMT Awards, and country singer Carly Pearce was no different. The black and silver gem-studded stunners she wore on her feet obviously made a fabulous statement. Look at that crazy high stiletto heel!

Celine Song

Just because you’re in black flats, it doesn’t have to mean that your choice of shoe has to be boring. Wearing a flowy, lower-calf length skirt to walk the Oscar red carpet, filmmaker Celine Song was able to show off her chunky footwear and look like the very picture of effortless cool.

Wendy Thembelihle Juel

The South African/Danish model may have put on a fitted, shimmering pink dress for her time at the Academy Awards, but she also chose black as the perfect color for her shoes. Her sandals gave the gown an extra oomph with a pretty crystal (or diamond) bow across each set of toes that helped to make them the real focal point of her glamorous look.

Erika Alexander

To celebrate the Oscar nods received by American Fiction, star Erika Alexander stepped out in a truly original dress. And, her shoes were different as well, seeing as how it’s relatively rare to see ladies on the red carpet in white heels.

Alex Borstein

Black can be very basic, but not, apparently, if you’re The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Alex Borstein. The talent stepped out to the Critics Choice Awards in delicately laced black pumps that appear to be see-through, which also had a scalloped edge to compliment her sheer dress.

Ke Huy Quan

Ke Huy Quan is clearly enjoying his revitalized time in the spotlight, and the Oscar winner knows how to get all dressed up for the red carpet. Here, he wears a classic pair of glossy black, tie-up dress shoes, and they pair perfectly with his deep red and black tuxedo.

Simu Liu

The People’s Choice Awards saw Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Barbie star Simu Liu hit the carpet in a fantastic oxblood-colored suit. And, not only did his shoes match, but he switched things up from typical men’s shoes and donned suede footwear for the occasion. Love it!

Andrew Scott

It can be so, so nice to buck convention and head to a fancy event in an ensemble that evokes a high/low effect, which is exactly what All of Us Strangers and Ripley star Andrew Scott did when he attended the Golden Globe Awards in January 2024. Instead of going for a full, all-white tuxedo, he went with the jacket, wide-leg pants and a thin t-shirt, which were beautifully accompanied by full-coverage shoes in the same creamy shade with an ultra-low black heel.

Oprah Winfrey

If you paid any attention to the many events that media mogul extraordinaire Oprah Winfrey went to in order to celebrate and promote the release of the musical The Color Purple, well, you’ll know that the many shades of that very hue were her choice for all of them. This included her time at the Golden Globes, where she capped her lovely, custom Louis Vuitton dress (which appears to be a shimmery, optical illusion-like crushed velvet) with grape-colored Manolo Blahnik shoes. So sophisticated, right?

Rachel Brosnahan

Talk about working a look! The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star (who’s soon to be our new Lois Lane in Superman: Legacy) went all red for the Golden Globes and was a total stunner. She stepped out in a custom Sergio Hudson off-the-shoulder gown, which featured a slinky line of buttons from top to toe that opened about halfway down. Brosnahan is also in satiny, custom-made Christian Louboutin sandals with a thin ankle strap that perfectly sets off her whole outfit.

Selena Gomez

Only Murders in the Building superstar Selena Gomez has been on top since her teens, so she knows how to work a red carpet! Her Globes look featured one of the more intriguing gowns of the night; a glossy, deep red stunner with black accents and a full, hi-low hem that gave everyone a perfect look at her cool shoes in a lipstick shade of red that appeared to feature some holographic effects. Selena can do no wrong!

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren (who really should be given her own Fast & Furious movie) hasn’t portrayed a queen more than once for nothing. She went to the Globes in a lavender ensemble that featured a bodice that gathered at her side and a sweeping skirt, topped with a two-tone cape (Yes, honey!) and extremely chunky, platform sandals in a shade of silver that perfectly matched her hair. Does glam get any better?

Jessica Williams

Speaking of royalty, Shrinking and Road House star Jessica Williams looked like an absolute princess as a nominee when she attended the Primetime Emmy Awards in January 2024. Williams wore a very ladylike custom-made off-the-shoulder Rodarte gown that was mostly black, with a hi-low hem that exposed fluffy layers of white tulle underneath. Her shoes are black and closed-toe but with netting near the top and three rather large crystal flowers, which only add to the regal look.

Bella Ramsey

Bella Ramsey stepped out to the Emmys in a very clean, professional style that’s far different from what we usually see when it comes to suits at awards shows. The star, who’s currently working on The Last of Us Season 2 for HBO) is wearing four different colors (the forest green suit, a deep purple button-down shirt, a red turtleneck and deep burgundy shoes), but somehow it all works together to make a clean look. Speaking of the shoes, thick black soles and the silver medallion on each help to both make a statement and ground the whole outfit.

Joan Collins

Timeless style is called “timeless” for very good reasons, and that’s because anyone at any age can look good wearing it in any year! Dynasty legend Joan Collins presented at the Emmy Awards, and put on her finest pleated Jenny Packham gown in a silvery sky blue dotted with crystals. To complete her outfit, the longtime star chose a closed-toe shoe in a similar color with a little embellishment right on the top just made to peek out from under her long, caped dress.

Jeffrey Wright

It looks as though colors like red, maroon, and oxblood were kinda popular recently, doesn’t it? American Fiction lead Jeffrey Wright showed up for February 2024’s Screen Actors Guild Awards (where he was nominated for his role and as part of the cast as a whole) in a perfectly tailored tuxedo of the latter color that looked quite sharp. Even better? His sturdy shoes in a similar shade added just enough interest with different colors on the bottom.

Keith David

Shades of aubergine pretty much always help people stand out at events, and that’s even more true when you’re dressed in it head to toe and look as happy as Keith David did at the SAG awards. Also attending for American Fiction’s cast nomination, the star was, indeed, donning the color for his lovely suit with a nice sheen, tie and shirt in slightly different but still within the color family hue and, his shoes. David went with a simple shoe, but in a suede fabric that helps then stand out just a teensy bit.

Tyler James Williams

Again, head-to-toe in one color can work wonders for netting the wearer a truly memorable look, and Abbott Elementary’s Tyler James Williams definitely got the memo. He showed up and showed out for his SAG Awards appearance in a natty baby blue suit with a matching, sheer t-shirt underneath, and complimented the ‘fit with some extremely classy white shoes.

Lauren Daigle

Contemporary Christian music singer Lauren Daigle was able to celebrate her Grammy Award nominations at the ceremony in a standout of frilly navy blue and black tulle gown punctuated with multicolored accents by Shahar Avnet. But, the true winner of this ensemble might just be her shoes: white and blue polka-dotted John Fluevog sandals with a platform and a very cool sculpted heel.

CeeLo Green

Remember, wearing colors in one family from head to toe is gold…especially if you actually decide to wear different shades of actual gold! Former The Voice coach CeeLo Green headed to the Grammys with his lady friend looking like a statuette (as did she; her hair and lips are even gold), and if there was ever a time to do such a thing it’s at a major award show. Green capped off his very comfortable-looking outfit with simply styled gold shoes, because if you’re wearing all gold how many embellishments do you really need, anyway?

Fantasia Barrino

American Idol alum Fantasia Barrino was all set to perform at the 66th Grammy Awards, but first, she had to hit the red carpet. And, it would be fair to say that her style for the night was also a hit, as she stepped out in a nude gown with black accents and paired the whole thing with black platform sandals that had alluring crisscrossing straps for days. 

Kingsley Ben-Adir

The star of Bob Marley: One Love, Kingsley Ben-Adir, also took a turn on the Grammy red carpet, and while his Gucci jacket and shirt in a nearly lime green color with black slacks are nearly casual in flair, anything but can be said about his footwear. The man gave some seriously good shoe in black loafers covered in silver studs, and these just might be the best shoes on the list!

As you can see, this awards season saw a lot of fabulous and daring shoe styles on the red carpet, and we are all the better for it!

While it may seem like some of the greatest directors of all time have just always existed, all of them started somewhere. You can't have Jaws with Duel and you can't have The Godfather without Dementia 13. Some directors, like Quentin Tarantino and Jordan Peele, knock it out of the park on their first try, but even some of the best have more humble beginnings. Here are the first movies for 32 great directors. 

Martin Scorsese - Who's That Knocking at My Door

The great Martin Scorsese's first movie has a wild story. It took him two years in all to complete it, as it started as a short in film school. It stars Harvey Keitel (his first movie role), and takes place in New York City, as you'd expect from Scorsese. Where it got weird was that after its debut at a film festival, it was purchased by a company that insisted they add some racier scenes, so the director did, and it's obvious the scenes were shot later as Keitel looks noticeably older. 

Steven Spielberg - Duel

Even the great Steven Spielberg had to start somewhere. That somewhere was famously with Duel a made-for-tv movie the director shot after doing some episodic television. It's a movie that holds up remarkably well, as a testament to Spielberg's ability to craft a great story. 

Ava DuVernay - I Will Follow

As a pioneering Black female director, Ava DuVernay has inspired many people and brought a unique perspective to Hollywood. Her first movie, I Will Follow is certainly no exception. The deeply moving, personal film confronting relationships, family, and death is a strong debut film. 

Christopher Nolan - Following

Produced on a minuscule budget (reportedly just $6000), Following still has the hallmarks of a Christopher Nolan film, notable for the non-linear storytelling that has become his signature in the decades since this one was made in 1998. Nolan's movies have bigger budgets today, but they still feel as independent as his first. 

Quentin Tarantino - Reservoir Dogs

What can be written about Reservoir Dogs that has already been said? It's not rare for a great director to make a good movie on his try, but this good? That's rare. Res Dogs pops off the screen as much today as when it was released over 30 years ago and that is remarkable. 

David Fincher - Alien 3

Director David Fincher really hated working on Alien 3. He's never been too shy to talk about what went wrong, either. Thankfully, he recovered from his bad experience and has since released a bunch of great movies, like The Game, Fight Club, and Gone Girl.

Tony Scott - The Hunger

Susan Sarandon, Catherine Deneuve, and David Bowie star in Tony Scott's directorial debut, a horror movie called The Hunger. We're not going to pretend like it's Scott's best work, but it's a decent start to what would be come a sensational career before his death in 2012.

Kathryn Bigelow - The Loveless

Kathryn Bigelow is a female director, but her movies, like Point Break and The Hurt Locker often explore masculinity in it's most extreme. Her first movie is no exception. The Loveless, starring Willem Dafoe as the leader of a motorcycle gang who terrorize a small town. It's a decent first effort, but her later movies are still much better. 

John Hughes - Sixteen Candles

We can talk for days about the problematic nature of Sixteen Candles. It's one of the more problematic movies from the '80s, but setting them aside, it's still a first-rate debut film for director John Hughes. It probably helped that Hughes was already established as one of Hollywood's funniest writers when he added directing to his resume. 

Francis Ford Coppola - Dementia 13

it's interesting to note how many directors cut their teeth with horror films. For Francis Ford Coppola, it was the Roger Corman produced Dementia 13. It fits right into Corman's amazing catalog of B-movies, and viewers can even get glimpses of the great heights that Coppola would eventually rise to. Coppola is proud of it as well, re-editing it and re-releasing a director's cut in 2017. 

Oliver Stone - Seizure

Another horror film debut from a Hollywood icon is Seizure by director Oliver Stone, i 1974. Stone worked primarily as a writer early in his career and didn't direct his next film until 1981 and it wouldn't be until five years later that his work garnered serious attention with 1986's Salvador and Platoon, the latter of which won Best Picture and Stone took home Best Director for at the Oscars.

Jane Campion - Two Friends

Jane Campion picks her projects carefully. Over almost 40 years, she's only directed nine films and only three in the 21st Century. Her first, 1986's Two Friends was a made-for-TV flick on Australian TV. It still found its way into some film festivals and was even screened at Cannes in 1986. 

Spike Lee - She's Gotta Have It

Spike Lee exploded onto the scene immediately after graduating from NYU film school. His first movie, She's Gotta Have It, is a fantastic debut that showed real maturity for a young filmmaker. Lee has always known exactly how he wants to tell a story, even from the very beginning. Though She's Gotta Have It doesn't hold up as well of as some of his other early movies, especially Do The Right Thing, it's still a great testament to his immense abilities as a filmmaker.

Penny Marshall - Jumpin' Jack Flash

By the time Penny Marshall directed her first movie, Jumpin' Jack Flash in 1986, she was already well-established in the business. Not only did she come from a Hollywood family, but she was one of TV's biggest stars in the '70s of Laverne & Shirley. As for Jumpin' Jack Flash, not only did the comedy establish Marshall as a director, but it also marked the first starring role in a comedy for Whoopi Goldberg, whose performance is wonderful. 

Paul Thomas Anderson - Hard Eight

Paul Thomas Anderson is another director who came out of the box with a clear vision of how he wanted his films to look and feel. Hard Eight, his first movie, from 1996 very much looks and feels like PT Anderson's later works like Magnolia and There Will Be Blood. It even stars Philip Seymour Hoffman and Philip Baker Hall, who were regulars in his later films as well. 

Jordan Peele - Get Out

While a lot of directors have gotten their start with horror movies, only Jordan Peele has completely redefined the genre. His mind-bending debut, Get Out is one of the best movies of the last decade and even though it relies on a twist at the end, it's very re-watchable. Peele, who started famously in comedy, seems like he's just getting started.

Stanley Kubrick - Fear and Desire

Anti-war movies are the norm today, but in 1952, when Stanley Kubrick directed his first movie, Fear and Desire, they were extremely rare. This was an era of World War II vets and patriotism. Still, Kubrick was an iconoclast even then, and not afraid to speak his mind in the best way he knew how on film. 

Chloé Zhao - Songs My Brothers Taught Me

Director Chloé Zhao has made a huge impact in just a short time. She won Best Director at the Oscars (only the second woman to ever do so) for just her third movie, Nomadland (which also won Best Picture) and her ability to tell deeply personal stories about America and Americans is something special. Her movie, Songs My Brothers Taught Me, fits right into this mold, telling a coming-of-age story about a Native American girl. 

Alfred Hitchcock - The Pleasure Garden

There is no bigger name in film history than Alfred Hitchcock. His astonishing career stretched out over 50 years, starting all the way back before movies even had sound. Hitchcock's first official film was The Pleasure Garden, released in 1925. Like many films throughout his career, this one didn't sit right with the more "moral" crowds and was condemned by many Americans. Luckily it didn't affect him in the slightest and he still went on to make some of the best movies ever made. 

The Coen Brother - Blood Simple

There are few filmmakers as beloved as the Coen Brothers. Over the last four decades, they put out hit after hit, they've won awards, and they've ingrained themselves into the psyche of film lovers everywhere. It all started for them with the noir crime film Blood Simple in 1984, starring Frances McDormand, who has been a regular collaborator with Ethan and Joel Coen and is married to Joel. 

Wes Anderson - Bottle Rocket

Wes Anderson has a unique style that is all his own. There is no one else that makes movies quite like he does. Still, his first movie, Bottle Rocket, is more straightforward than the rest of his catalog. It's still a great movie and stars actors that have continued to work with him, decades later. 

John Singleton - Boyz n the Hood

The late John Singleton is another on this list who came out the box with his guns blazing figuratively and literally with Boyz in the Hood. The film was a hard hitting look at life in South Central LA in the 1990s and it was a masterpiece. 

Amy Heckerling - Fast Times At Ridgemont High

Amy Heckerling was a trailblazing female director in the 1980s and is responsible for some of the most beloved and quotable movies of the era. She's probably best known for Clueless, but her first movie, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, is legendary as well. 

George Lucas - THX 1138

Star Wars will always be George Lucas' masterpiece. The seeds of the legendary space opera were planted in his first movie, the sci fi thriller THX 1138, which he developed from the student film while he was studying at USC. 

Mel Brooks – The Producers

By the time Mel Brooks wrote and directed his first movie, The Producers, in 1967, he'd already been in show business for a couple of decades. First as a writer for Sid Caesar then on other TV shows in the '50s and '60s. The EGOT winner has had an incredible career since, with many beloved comedies. 

Ridley Scott - The Duellists

Ridley Scott, like his brother Tony, got his start by directing commercials in the 1960s. Commercial direction is a great proving ground for filmmakers and by 1977 Scott was ready for the big leagues. His first movie, The Duelists was set in the Napoleonic Wars (something he would revisit almost 50 years later with Napoleon), was a critical success and set Scott up for the rest of his impressive career. 

Sofia Coppola - The Virgin Suicides

Of course, Sofia Coppola is Hollywood royalty, but her success is not due to nepotism, it's because she's a darn great director. If she had only made her first movie, The Virgin Suicides, that might have been enough to prove the naysayers wrong, but she's continued to put out excellent movies in the years since. 

Ryan Coogler - Fruitvale Station

It definitely feels like Black Panther director Ryan Coogler is still getting started. With the success of Creed and his two entries in the MCU, Coogler is killing it at a relatively young age. His first movie, 2013's Fruitville Station, made when he was just 26, also marked his first collaboration with Michael B. Jordan and they've made a formidable pair thus far. 

Tim Burton - Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

One of the most interesting and eccentric minds in Hollywood has to be Tim Burton. That was evident right away in his career, as his first movie, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, is as quirky and offbeat as anything ever made, and it's why people love it so much. Burton has continued to bring that unique thinking to all his movies since. 

Patty Jenkins – Monster

Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins has taken a patient road to success. Her first movie was... well... a monster. Monster, starring a transformed Charlize Theron as the real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in an astounding performance. Jenkins worked mostly in TV after that until she directed the excellent Wonder Woman in 2017. 

James Cameron - Piranha II: The Spawning

He may be the most financially successful director of all-time, with three of the top five most successful movies at the box, but James Cameron had pretty humble beginnings. Like many directors, he started with a horror movie, Piranha II: The Spawning. It's pretty much as you would expect, a somewhat silly, slasher-type movie (the slasher is a school of fish), but there are some things that telegraph what was to come, like the underwater shots. 

Darren Aronofsky – Pi

Darren Aronofsky's first movie, Pi, was made on a minuscule budget and while you can tell, the movie is still brilliant. It's a psychological thriller that manages to make math... exciting. Steeped in mental illness and numerology, it's a fascinating movie and a fantastic start to The Whale director's career. 

If you’ve seen Ava DuVernay’s deeply emotional film Origin, you were likely greatly impacted by its story about caste and the negative impact of hierarchy and prejudice. It’s a deep, educational and heart-pounding story about the creation of Isabel Wilkerson’s book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, and it left me feeling inspired and like I’d learned about how to make the world better. Jon Bernthal felt a similar way, and when I interviewed him about this film, he told me about what he took away from working on Origin, and the lessons he’s passed on to his kids. 

In DuVernay’s film on the 2024 movie schedule, Jon Bernthal plays Isabel’s husband Brett, who tragically died early in the process of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents' creation. Bernthal starred opposite Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor’s Isabel, and the two portrayed the beautiful and meaningful relationship between Brett and Isabel, which showed the author’s significant other consistently defying the caste system. While speaking with me about what he personally learned about his character as well as caste, Bernthal said:

Jon Bernthal and his real-life wife Erin Angel have been married since 2010, and they share three children. As he said, he tries to teach his young ones about the importance of celebrating difference and inclusion. Continuing to speak about how Origin impacted him, The Punisher star said:

Along with Origin and Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents being “a love letter” to Brett and those Isabel lost, as well as a sweeping historical epic, it’s also a lesson about the power of class and the destruction it can cause. 

Like Bernthal, the lessons in Origin are ones I want to pass along. Ava DuVernay didn’t shy away from putting heavy subject matter on screen, and she was able to tell Isabel Wilkerson’s personal and professional stories surrounding caste in an accessible and impactful way.

Overall, the subject matter of Origin as well as the cast’s performances and DuVernay’s brilliant direction make it clear why this is one of Jon Bernthal’s best movies. Clearly, making it impacted him, and he learned lessons about society and caste that he’s passed on to his family, and I think many folks who see this film will do the same. I know I will. 

Oscar nominee Ava DuVernay isn’t one to take it easy on her audience. With 13th, she explored America’s prison industrial complex and its inherent racism. With When They See Us, she told the true story of five black teens being falsely convicted of murder. And, of course, with Selma, she chronicled Dr. King’s plight to secure equal voting rights. Her new film, Origin, is no different when it comes to heavy subject matter, and according to DuVernay, if something is hard to watch, that’s all the more reason to face it. 

CinemaBlend recently caught up with Ava DuVernay for our latest At The Movies interview in partnership with AMC Theatres. When she was asked about making the “hard things digestible,” she expressed the importance of facing certain difficult truths:

While there are countless reasons to stream 13th and DuVernay’s other previous works if you want to learn a thing or two, Origin takes things up a notch. Based on the book Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkserson, the adaptation explores a somewhat controversial theory that all prejudices in this world are interconnected, specifically stringing yarn between the events of the Holocaust, the caste system in India and slavery in the United States with the ensuing racism still felt today. 

To accomplish this, Ava DuVernay explores unorthodox techniques for narrative film, like using audio from the actual 911 call George Zimmerman made before killing Trayvon Martin. Obviously this is a hard watch, with CinemaBlend’s own Corey Chichizola saying that he was left “sobbing” after the film came to a close with that pivotal final shot in Origin. However, continuing her point about making hard subject matter digestible, she explained that the film is meant to be more hopeful than sad:

While Ava DuVernay is adamant about challenging her audience through the medium of film, these days, she’s become a figure in pop culture for her outspoken activism. Whether she’s speaking on the difficulties of being taken seriously as a black filmmaker in America, or bringing unusually diverse casting to a major Disney blockbuster, everything she does seems to highlight social and racial injustice. This barely touches the surface when it comes to fascinating facts about Ava DuVernay.

You can, and should, see Origin in AMC Theatres right now! It’s a powerful and poignant way to help kick off the 2024 movie release schedule. Our whole conversation with Ava DuVernay was about as inspiring as interviews get, and you can see it in the video at the top of this article. 

Major, major spoilers for Ava DuVernay’s Origin are ahead. If you have not seen this project on the 2024 movie schedule, you can watch it in theaters now. 

In Ava DuVernay’s deeply emotional film Origin, we see Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor’s character Isabel grieve personal losses as she conducts game-changing research about the caste system. Rather than letting the grief consume her, Isabel harnesses it and uses it to drive her work forward. This eventually leads to the discovery of many vital stories about how caste has negatively affected society, and the publication of the best-selling novel Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. One way we see this author emerge from this arduous journey is through two parallel scenes at the beginning and end of the film, and DuVernay broke down their connection and importance. 

During an interview with CinemaBlend, Ava DuVernay told me about a vital connection between two identically framed scenes in Origin where Isabel is lying on the ground looking at the person next to her. Speaking about how these two scenes are connected thematically as well as visually, the 2017 Oscar nominee told me: 

Broken down into its simplest form these two scenes show Isabel in her deepest moment of “loss” after she loses her husband and mother, and then her triumphant moment of “renewal” right as she finishes her research for her book. 

In both moments she’s laying on the ground. In the first scene toward the beginning, she’s looking at her late husband and mother while lying on a bed of dead leaves (as you can see in the photo below) grieving. Then, in the second sequence, she’s on the ground again with bright green behind her, looking at a young boy who had just faced terrible discrimination, and telling him it will be all right. 

These two deeply emotional moments are tied together by their framing, and DuVernay continued to explain why she wanted audiences to connect them, telling me:

As Ava DuVernay said, those two moments help communicate the overall goal of Origin. The film is inspired by the life of Isabel Wilkerson and her bestselling book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, which presents the theory that caste and its systems of hierarchy are one of the major reasons for prejudice and unjust treatment of people. 

These two scenes, along with the film as a whole, propose the idea that the world would be a better place if we all embraced and supported one another. Isabel’s loved ones did that for her, and she did that for Al Bright in the final moments of the movie. 

As you’ve likely learned if you’ve followed Ava DuVernay’s work, she makes films focused on themes of social justice. Origin is no different, and it’s through scenes like the two described above that this visionary director can create sweeping stories that are interconnected and show how powerful “community,” togetherness and acceptance can be.  

Major spoilers for Ava DuVernay’s Origin are ahead. If you have not seen this film from the 2024 movie schedule, you can catch it in theaters now. 

In Ava DuVernay’s deeply emotional Origin, we follow Isabel Wilkerson on her journey to write the bestselling novel Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Inspired by a true story and the creation of the bestselling book, the film follows this author, played by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, as she researches her book while also going through major personal tragedies. So, when I had the chance to speak with the film’s star, I had to ask her about how she portrayed Isabel’s grief, and how it helped her character write and research this important book. 

For context, Origin tells the personal and true story of Isabel Wilkerson as she wrote her bestselling book about the caste system. It flashes between the stories she’s telling in her book, the research she does for it, and her personal life. As she develops this massive project, she faces three major tragedies when her husband, mother and best friend die. So, as Ellis-Taylor’s character conducts her work, she’s also grieving the loss of the three most important people in her life. Obviously, that impacted her book, and the 2022 Oscar nominee told me how during our interview for CinemaBlend:

As Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor explained, losing Brett (her husband), Ruby (her mom) and Marion (her cousin and friend) deeply impacted her work. However, it didn’t stop her, it fueled her. That seemed to be what her loved ones wanted too, as all three made it clear to her before their deaths that she needed to continue her research. 

The actress then pointed to two parallel scenes that show Isabel’s drive to keep working. She noted that when she came home from India, right after she lost Marion, she didn’t let the loneliness take her or the memory of her loved ones consume her, she used it as motivation. 

Capturing this tragic yet hopeful mindset Isabel found herself in was challenging, however, Ellis-Taylor did it beautifully. She continued to tell me about how Isabel’s grief impacted her work, noting that this book is “a love letter” to her husband, mother and cousin:

This is such a beautiful way to perceive the tragic events Isabel went through, and it’s one of the reasons why Origin moved me to tears. Rather than letting these losses break her, Ellis-Taylor’s character harnessed it, didn’t let them fade away, and she wrote this book – Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents – for them. 

I’m sure if you know anything about Ava DuVernay’s career, you are aware of her moving and important filmography, which includes the 2017 Oscar-nominated documentary 13th and the Martin Luther King Jr. biopic Selma. Continuing her work of creating moving films centered around topics of social justice and civil rights, Origin teaches audiences about the caste system and the unjust hierarchy it creates through Isabel’s personal story and professional research. 

And at the heart of it all is Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor’s gorgeous and heartbreaking yet hopeful performance as Isabel Wilkerson. 

Black filmmakers have experienced great success in Hollywood that's somewhat reminiscent of the era of prominence that occurred during the 1990s and early 2000s. However, success hasn’t erased any of the adversity many African Americans in the industry have faced since Tinseltown’s early days and continue to go through today. Film and TV director Ava DuVernay has experienced both sides throughout her storied career. After premiering her latest film, Origin, at the Venice Film Festival, DuVernay explained why so few Black filmmakers present their movies at famous film festivals. 

Ava DuVernay made history at the Venice Film Festival by becoming the first Black woman to compete. While it was a historic moment to celebrate, she used the moment to spotlight the lack of fellow African American directors competing in major international film fests. The Selma director opened up about how Hollywood executives and producers discourage some of her peers from entering competitions. She said during the film’s Venice press conference (via The Guardian):

Hollywood is changing for the better, but there are still some negative elements entrenched in the film industry. Black filmmakers, actors, audiences, etc. have been underestimated for decades when it comes international appeal. In recent years, filmmakers like Ava DuVernay, Ryan Coogler and Jordan Peele kicked off their careers and brokered huge deals by competing at famous events, like the Toronto International Film Festival and Cannes. DuVernay was only the second Black female director to premiere a film in Venice after Regina King debuted her Oscar-nominated feature debut, One Night in Miami, in 2020. So her words do indeed have merit.

The A Wrinkle in Time director was certainly open about how she views the relationship between African American creatives and international film festivals. She also went into greater detail about what she's been told by Hollywood decision-makers about her hypothetical reception from famous cinema-centric events, stating:

Continued success doesn’t make Black directors immune from the racism that's still present within the entertainment business. According to the publication, a 2021 study revealed films by Black filmmakers only make up one percent of competition entries at film fests.

Ava DuVernay’s account sadly isn’t surprising, as multiple creatives within the Black community have spilled about Ho downplaying their broad appeal. Many have complained for years about bigwigs downplaying the commercial appeal that their stories have with international audiences. Directors aren't the only ones facing discrimination either. Several actors have opened up about dealing with beauty standards, fighting for equal pay and fighting against exclusion from Hollywood’s A-list. Ultimately, he success of films like Black Panther (as well as its sequel) and Get Out has proven helped prove international fans love Black-oriented content just like U.S. audiences.

On that note, Ava DuVernay’s Origin received a standing ovation and a positive response at the Venice Film Festival. The book-to-screen adaptation garnered Oscar buzz after playing at TIFF, and it'll premiere to wider audiences later this year. In the meantime, keep up with our schedule of 2023 new movie releases so you'll know when you can see other Academy Award contenders.

Every fall, three film festivals run back-to-back that help to shape the annual race for Academy Awards glory. The Venice Film Festival, the Telluride Film Festival, and the Toronto International Film Festival program their collective slates with movies that hope to contend for year-end accolades, so experts head to these film meccas hoping to see the stories, performances, and craftwork that will contend for the top Oscars, handed out in March 2024. 

In collaboration with AMC Theatres, which aims to make modern movie masterpieces available to cinema fans through their AMC Artisan Films program, CinemaBlend traveled to Toronto for several days of movie screenings at TIFF 2023. And we left with a better sense of some contenders in multiple Oscar categories that we believe will be part of the conversation as the awards season heats up. Some of the names are very familiar, and tend to see themselves in the Oscar race time after time. Others, however, are complete surprises that still turned our heads, and deserve recognition. Here are nine Oscar contenders that emerged from the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. 

Jamie Foxx, The Burial

Jamie Foxx is no stranger to the Academy Awards, having won Best Actor for playing Ray Charles, and earning a nomination acting opposite Tom Cruise in Collateral. Foxx has made headlines as of late for his health scares, but his performance as a slick, fast-talking attorney in the legal courtroom thriller The Burial puts the conversation back on his charismatic screen presence. It’s a story based on true events, where a lawyer helps an underdog funeral home owner (Tommy Lee Jones) protect his business against a conglomerate. The Academy loves those types of stories, and Foxx is just that good.

Nicolas Cage, Dream Scenario

For a while now, Nicolas Cage has enjoyed a run where he basically plays “Nic Cage” on screen. Even when he’s Dracula in Renfield or an alternate Superman in The Flash, he’s still recognizable as the quirky character actor. But in Dream Scenario, Cage loses himself completely to play a schlubby college professor who begins showing up in everyone’s dreams… and starts getting used to the attention that comes with this phenomenon. With a push by A24, Cage easily could get into the Best Actor race (though it’s a competitive year, as our next selection will prove). 

Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers

Alexander Payne once mined Paul Giamatti’s particular brand of fussiness for Oscar glory in the 2004 comedy Sideways. Their latest collaboration would strike similar chords in awards voters, as Giamatti relishes the particular role of a private school teacher ordered to chaperone the prep students who have no place to go over Christmas break. Payne’s attention to period detail is impeccable, and this absolutely will earn a Best Picture nomination (see below). But Giamatti is a huge part of the reason why The Holdovers works so well, and I predict he’ll be in the Best Actor conversation.  

Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

It’s a strong year for male performances so far, which means someone is going to have to be left out. Don‘t bet against Jeffrey Wright, the beloved character actor who receives his own version of a Sideways-style midlife crisis comedy in American Fiction. He plays esteemed author “Monk” Ellison, who returns home to Boston to care for his impaired mother and wrestles with family, a potential new love, and a fresh direction for his writing career. Wright is spectacular – no real surprise – and deserves Oscar consideration… particularly after American Fiction won the coveted Audience Award at TIFF.  

Jessica Chastain, Memory

Often, you won’t even know that a movie is coming until it makes a splash on the festival circuit. And you would think that a movie that pairs Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard would be on our radar. But it wasn’t until Chastain attended the Venice Film Festival on behalf of Memory that we started paying attention to the story of former friends who reconnect at a high school reunion, mainly because reviews went nuts for Chastain. Can she ride that wave to an Oscar nomination? It would be her fourth, and would arrive on the heels of her winning for The Eyes of Tammy Faye. 

Ava DuVernay, Origin 

Never count Ava DuVernay out of awards consideration, especially when she’s exploring history, racial strife, and social controversies. The director surprised the industry when she sent her newest film, Origin, to both Venice and Toronto. But once the reviews started rolling in, it became clear that DuVernay’s unique adaptation of Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson’s book Caste would become a major player in the upcoming Oscars race. The film decimated our own Corey Chichizola, who called it the best movie he saw at TIFF 2023. And in addition to the awards buzz for leading lady Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard), the chances of Origin earning a Best Picture nomination are also high.

The Holdovers

When you finally see Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, you will know that it’s the ideal picture the Academy loves. That’s not a slight. Traditionally, there’s a formula, and when movie’s follow it well, they earn Oscars love. Payne is a pedigreed director, working off a dependable screenplay from David Hemingson. He has a terrific ensemble led by the great Paul Giamatti. The movie doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It’s a solid double smacked right between the shortstop and the second baseman. Enjoy it for what it is.  

Anatomy Of A Fall

Every once in a while, an international film makes its way into the Best Picture race. Roma, Amour, and Life is Beautiful are part of the ranks. Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite became the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture! So the door has been kicked open, and it’s possible that Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall walks through this year. The German true-crime thriller rides along on a stellar lead performance by Sandra Huller, playing a successful author who becomes the lead suspect in her husband’s death. There are twists, and there are turns. And they all might lead to a Best Picture nomination when the nominees are announced early next year. 

Look for these, and other upcoming 2023 movies, as they make their way to an AMC Theatres near you – and possibly also onto their curated list of AMC Artisan films – in the coming weeks and months. 

While art is subjective, the purpose of many mediums is to reflect the world around us and inspire important conversations. Film is no exception in this regard, with the silver screen capable of holding a mirror to society as a whole. Acclaimed filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s latest movie Origin is no exception in that regard, with the upcoming biological drama telling the real story of Pulitzer Prize winning writer Isabel Wilkerson as she wrote her acclaimed sophomore book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. And DuVernay’s new drama Origin is a deeply emotional film that left me sobbing in the theater.

We’re currently in the midst of the Toronto International Film Festival, which is debuting a number of exciting new movies that are headed to either theaters or streaming services. Origin is one of these titles, coming from auteur filmmaker Ava DuVernay, whose last film was A Wrinkle In Time. While that was an adaptation of the novel of the same name, Origin is a real story that takes an almost academic approach to the concepts of classic, bigotry and grief. And it is by far my favorite film I saw while attending TIFF this year.

Origin stars King Richard’s Aunjanue Ellis (The Help, If Beale Street Could Talk) as writer Isabel Wilkerson. In the wake of Trayvon Martin’s death, Wilkerson is approached by a colleague to use her detail-oriented journalistic mind to address the 17 year-old’s killing, and the national movement that followed. Upon listening to the harrowing 911 calls that preceded his murder, she’s inspired to write her second book. But rather than simply addressing racism in the country, she instead does a research-based examination about caste systems in various countries throughout history. 

In addition to following this deeply emotional look at caste systems and bigotry, there’s also a more personal story being told. Because early in the movie Wilkerson’s husband (played by Jon Benthal) dies, followed by her ailing mother. The themes of systemic and generational pain are weaved effortlessly with the grief of these losses, as her mourning process helps inspire Ellis’ character to continue working tirelessly on her book. 

Throughout Origin’s 130 minute-runtime, we watch as Isabel Wilkerson finds similarities between America's history of bigotry against Black people with the systematic attack on Jewish people during the Holocaust, revealing that the Nazi party inspired its plans for extermination by Jim Crow laws in the states. A third connection is found with the caste system in India and treatment of the Dalit. 

While the story is indeed dense and literary, Origin is also deeply personal and emotional. Filmmaker Ava DuVernay (see facts about her here) gorgeously directs the project, with moving cinematography and bold visual choices. Case in point: Wilkerson’s initial grief and depression is visually represented by seeing Aunjanue Ellis laying on the ground, as leaves fall on her in slow motion. We also see vignettes of various individuals who inspired her acclaimed book, including an interracial couple in Nazi Germany, anthropologists Allison and Elizabeth Davis, as well as grueling recreated footage of ships in the slave trade.

Ava DuVernay assembled a truly outstanding cast to bring Origin together. Aside from Ellis and Benrthal, the movie also features a gorgeous performance from Niecy Nash, who plays Wilkeson’s cousin. Other familiar faces include Hamilton’s Jasmine Cephas Jones, Nick Offerman, Finn Wittrock, Audra McDonald, Blair Underwood, Victoria Pedretti, and Vera Farmiga. Some of these actors only appear in very brief roles, but that doesn't make them any less powerful. And it just shows how many actors are eager to work with the talents of DuVernay. 

Origin doesn’t currently have a wide theatrical release date. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

The CW is getting ready to welcome its newest DC Comics-based show, Naomi, and many may be wondering how it could connect to the Arrowverse. The titular character is linked to Superman, after all, as she runs a fansite devoted to the iconic Metropolis-based hero. However, according to series EP Ava DuVernay, fans shouldn't expect a crossover (like "Armageddon" or any other) any time soon.

Film and TV Ava DuVernay maven seems more than excited for the new show, and fans of the comic certainly are as well. Though her most recent comments may come as a surprise to them. With Naomi being paired with Superman & Lois on Tuesday nights, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to have the two shows crossover. DuVernay, however, revealed during Television Critics Association's winter press tour (via EW) that this debut season is all about getting the new heroine to come into her own:

Honestly, it makes sense that the Selma director wants to put all the focus the main character for the first season. Not every show needs to have a crossover like The Flash or Legends of Tomorrow have had during their runs. Even DC’s Stargirl has yet to have an actual crossover with any of the Arrowverse shows, despite already being two seasons in. All in all, with the new series' captivating plot and interesting protagonist, the lack of a crossover shouldn't be a problem for it.

While it looks like we won't be getting any crossovers out of Naomi Season 1, fans can still look forward to fan-favorite characters popping up elsewhere in the Arrowverse. David Ramsey is still making his way across the CW-verse as potential Green Lantern John Diggle, and Kat McNamara has expressed interest in returning as Arrow's Mia Smoak following the “Armageddon” event on The Flash last year.

Hopefully, when there is a crossover on Naomi, it’s with Superman & Lois, though. It would almost be too perfect to have the Man of Steel meet his biggest fan. It may be a while before such a thing happens, as the freshman superhero show would have to get renewed. But the show is already looking like it could be something special. And don't worry, if Superman & Lois' villain-filled second season is anything like the first, that show should be back as well.

Don’t miss the series premiere of Naomi this Tuesday, January 11 at 9 p.m. EST on The CW! You can also check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 winter and spring schedule to find out what other shows you can look out for this year.

Back in February, it was revealed that Warner Bros. is planning a fascinating big screen future for Superman. While things remain up in the air regarding Henry Cavill’s future as the character, the studio is now developing a new Man Of Tomorrow-centric movie with producer J.J. Abrams and screenwriter Ta-Nehisi Coates, and it appears that the plan is to have the film feature a Black actor in the lead role. Now the project seems to be moving forward, reportedly looking for a Black filmmaker to take the helm, and it has inspired us to do some thinking about what the movie could be.

The Hollywood Reporter published an article earlier today about the on-going search to find a director to make the next Superman movie, and while it doesn’t specifically name anybody who is actively in line for the job, the news got us thinking about a few individuals who we would like to see get the gig – taking into consideration both their proven abilities, and demonstrated interest in the material. There are a lot of great options in the industry, but these are the filmmakers who stick out at the moment:

Rick Famuyiwa

Truth be told, the last time that Rick Famuyiwa worked to make a DC Comics blockbuster it didn’t end up working out. The filmmaker signed on to direct the DC Extended Universe’s solo Flash movie all the way back in 2016, even appearing on stage at that year’s San Diego Comic-Con, but the gig was short-lived, as he wound up departing the project four months later due to cited “creative differences.” In the time since then, Famuyiwa has had the chance to get into the franchise game, helming three episodes of The Mandalorian – and with that work under his belt it would be great to see him get a chance at the Superman job. He hasn’t made a feature since his fantastic 2015 indie movie Dope, and with the experience he has now it would be great to see him get a shot at making a movie about the Kryptonian who fell to Earth.

Regina King

Two years ago, Regina King starred in what can honestly be called one of the best comic book adaptations we’ve seen. While fans feared the worst from the idea of expanding the world of Watchmen, the HBO series that served as a sequel to the original Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons comic proved to be an absolutely stunning piece of work, with King's turn as Angela Abar a.k.a. Sister Night being one of the greatest highlights. Recognizing this positive history with live-action DC, as well as noting the actor-cum-filmmaker’s impressive feature directorial debut last year, she is definitely a candidate who should at least be considered for the Superman gig. One Night In Miami has already provided her with the experience of rendering iconic figures on the big screen, and making a new movie about the Man of Steel could give her an opportunity to do it yet again, albeit with a much larger budget and more visual effects.

Shaka King

Following the incredible success of Judas And The Black Messiah, Shaka King is surely been crazy busy taking meetings around Hollywood in the last couple months, but hopefully one of those business gatherings has seen him discussing Superman with the folks at DC and Warner Bros. (which distributed the Oscar-nominated film). Telling the story of Black Panther Chairman Fred Hampton and the conspiracy that led to his assassination, King unleashed some powerhouse cinema built on intimate portrayals and dynamic camerawork, and it would be amazing to see those skills put to work on a movie that could change the world’s perspective on a legendary hero. He’s surely getting a ton of offers right now, and it would be amazing if this were one of them.

Boots Riley

In 2018, Boots Riley made one of the most bombastic and memorable directorial debuts in the last decade, writing and helming the bizarre comedy Sorry To Bother You starring LaKeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson. Last year it was announced that his next project will take him to the small screen, as he is developing a series with Mr. Mercedes star Jharrel Jerome – but it would be amazing to see him make a return to the feature world with a new Superman movie. Part of the argument for Riley getting the job stems from his deft ability to sculpt commentary in a fantastical form, but even stronger is the idea of seeing his outrageous aesthetic utilized in a blockbuster with a six digit budget. It’s worth noting that the filmmaker has criticized the genre in the past, but that would just make it all the more fascinating to discover what kind of story would result from his perspective.

Ava DuVernay

DC fans were dealt a serious bummer a few weeks ago. After years of developing The New Gods as a film with Ava DuVernay and Tom King collaborating on the script, it was announced that the project was no longer moving forward. While we haven’t heard any specific reasoning given as to why that particular move was made, we’re holding out hope that the situation has kept the door open for a conversation with DuVernay about the next Superman movie. Between Selma, When They See Us, and the documentary 13th, the filmmaker has demonstrated a tremendous capacity to create powerful cinema – and while her first venture into the blockbuster realm, 2018’s A Wrinkle In Time, didn’t quite perform at the box office as well as hoped, one can still absolutely appreciate the large-scale beauty in the movie. She clearly has an interest in bringing the world of DC Comics to the big screen, and we’re holding out hope she eventually gets the opportunity.

Of the directors mentioned here, who would you like to see take the helm of the developing Superman movie? Answer our poll below, and while you stay tuned for more updates about this specific project, be sure to check out our Upcoming DC Movies guide to find out about everything that the comic book franchise has coming in the next few years.

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The DCEU has shifted directions a number of times since films such as Justice League and Batman vs. Superman received mixed to poor reception. The problem was exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing Warner Bros. to shuffle its film schedule around. Now, some highly anticipated projects being cut or postponed for the time being, and one of those projects was Ava DuVernay’s New Gods. The film being shelved led to Darkseid himself Pay Porter sharing a sweet exchange with the director.

There had been questions forming around Ava DuVernay’s DC film even before Warner Bros. slimmed down its slate. DC fans should’ve expected the news given Warner Bros.'s shift in priorities for the DCEU within the last year. Apparently, fans were pestering DuVernay about the film’s cancellation, leading Ray Porter to step up. And after, DuVernay responded with a kind message of her own. Check out Porter and DuVernay’s sweet Twitter exchange below:

As seen in Ava DuVernay’s tweet, Ray Porter has been supportive throughout the development process. It was nice to see a sweeter side to DC’s most notorious villain. Initially, DC fans were excited for New Gods, as it would have allowed the universe to branch out and focus on a comic book property that has yet to get a film adaptation. A major plus was that the director was a huge fan of the source material, and I'm sure DuVernay would’ve put her all into the film.

Before her exchange with Ray Porter, Ava DuVernay had already spoken on New Gods’ removal from the slate. Upon learning the news, DuVernay took the time to thank comic writer and screenplay co-writer Tom King. This led to another sweet exchange between her and King. But as the director pointed out, the film has been postponed rather than being completely cut. So hopefully, that’s a good sign that New Gods isn’t completely dead in the water.

New Gods being shelved is also just another symptom of Hollywood’s shifting landscape. With theaters and Hollywood trying to recover, many studios have been re-examining their slates. Studios are now looking for safe bets rather than testing the market. This mentality has put mostly unknown properties such as New Gods interesting spots. Hollywood wants to start making money and fast, which is understandable given that the industry did lose an entire year due to the pandemic. So as disappointing as it may be, one can see Warner Bros.' logic.

Though fans can be happy that The Flash movie and Aquaman sequel are finally starting to move forward in production, meaning that DC fans will still have options at the theater in the next few years. DC ahas a full slate set prepared to arrive between 2021 and 2023, with James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad arriving Aug. 6. But hopefully, Warner Bros. and DC will allow DuVernay to revisit New Gods at some point in the future.

Comic book fans received a couple of big blows today. While there are more than a few upcoming DC movies in the works, it's been reported that Warner Bros. is no longer moving forward with either their planned Aquaman spin-off, The Trench, or the developing blockbuster based on Jack Kirby's The New Gods. What made the latter project particularly exciting is that it had lined up Ava DuVernay and comic book writer Tom King to collaborate on the script – and based on their responses to today's news on social media, they are as sad as we are to see the project come to an end.

It was about 30 minutes after the trade report about The New Gods not moving forward went online that Ava DuVernay released a statement to her followers on Twitter. In the post she remarked on not only how much fun she had working with the wonderful cast of alien characters that Jack Kirby created, but also noted her appreciation for the friendship with Tom King that blossomed from their time working together. Check out her post below:

It was all the way back in March 2018 that DC first hired Ava DuVernay to shepherd forward a big screen version of The New Gods, but what's interesting about it not moving forward is that it has seemingly been in active development for that entire time. In July 2019 Tom King told fans at San Diego Comic-Con that the script was being written imminently, and even just this past December there was an update from DuVernay saying that the COVID-19 pandemic had provided the opportunity to dig even further into Jack Kirby's creations. But now, sadly, the filmmaking adventure has come to a premature end.

Tom King directly responded to Ava DuVernay's post less than 15 minutes after it went live, and shared similar sentiments – adding how impressed he was with DuVernay's understanding of the characters. And to be extra mean, he decided to also tease a scene from The New Gods that we'll apparently never get to see.

So why is The New Gods movie not moving forward? That's the million dollar question, and there doesn't seem to be an official answer. The statement from Warner Bros. announcing the projects cancellation doesn't say anything that even resembles an explanation, and even suggests that it isn't totally dead, but instead just dead for now ("The projects will remain in their skillful hands if they were to move forward in the future.") It's possible that it's a matter of resource allocation – with the studio wanting to put more focus on some projects more than others (namely projects not named "The New Gods" or "The Trench."

At the same time, what also can't be ignored in this situation is the recent release of Zack Snyder's Justice League on HBO Max, which features a few of the characters that surely would have been a part of Ava DuVernay and Tom King's The New Gods. Is it possible that their vision for the characters contrasted so much with Snyder's that it didn't make sense to move forward with the duo's version in the immediate future?

Given the excitement that Ava DuVernay and Tom King have for this would-be blockbuster, hopefully this isn't The End for everything that they've been working on. Obviously it would be great if things change and their script gets turned into a live-action film, but if that never happens perhaps it could at the very least get made as one of the franchise's very popular animated features. Time will tell!

Warner Bros hasn’t been shy over the years with announcing DC movies, and some of them have seen the light of day, like Shazam! and Birds of Prey. But there are a lot more movies that are either lingering in development hell or have just been shelved. We can now count Aquaman spinoff The Trench and Ava DuVernay’s New Gods in the latter category.

Warner Bros and DC announced today that these two movies will not be moving forward, saying the following in a statement to THR:

When it came to The Trench, THR’s sources claim that the Warner Bros brass felt that the upcoming Aquaman 2 was “enough” for exploring the underwater corners of the DC Extended Universe. It was briefly considered turning The Trench into a streaming offering, but nothing came of that, though it was also noted that if there’s eventually more of a demand for adventures set in DC’s Atlantean kingdoms, the project could be revisited.

As for New Gods, evidently Darkseid’s presence in Zack Snyder’s Justice League complicated plans for this “sprawling tale” covering the Fourth World mythology. As such, it was decided to put more space between the four-hour superhero team-up tale and any future stories that highlight the New Gods. Ultimately The Trench and New Gods’ shelvings reportedly came down to there simply not being natural spots for them on the DC film slate, so executives felt it was, as the article put it, “best not to leave the filmmakers hanging in development without a clear end in sight.”

So if you were looking forward to seeing more of the creatures that attacked Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry and Amber Heard’s Mera in Aquaman, or were excited for characters like Mr. Miracle and Big Barda to score the cinematic spotlight, this is surely disappointing news. However, it’s important to note that James Wan, who was producing The Trench, and Ava DuVernay, who would have directed New Gods and was also co-writing the script with Tom King, have other DC projects coming up. Wan is preparing to direct Aquaman 2, and DuVernay is working on both The CW’s Naomi series and HBO Max's DMZ series.

For the most part, DC’s upcoming lineup of movies consists of DCEU offerings, including The Suicide Squad, Black Adam, The Flash and Shazam! Fury of the Gods, to name a few. So far Matt Reeves’ The Batman is the exception to that rule, as it’s confirmed to be set in a separate universe. The same may end up being true for the Superman movie J.J. Abrams and Ta-Nehisi Coates are working on, but for the most part, even if the DCEU isn’t striving for the same kind of interconnectivity anymore that the MCU has, this reality as a whole will continue to expand with various self-contained stories. And as already mentioned, maybe years from now, the WB and DC brass will decided that The Trench and/or New Gods are worth revisiting, though by that point, it’s a good bet that new creative talent would be attached.

As always, we here at CinemaBlend will keep you apprised of all major updates concerning the DC film franchise. For now, scan through our upcoming DC movies guide to learn what else this superhero franchise still intends to deliver to the public.

From developing a biographical TV show about one of the most talked about athletes in history to producing the long-awaited adaptation of a much celebrated sci-fi novel series, Ava DuVernay is one busy lady. In fact, the former helmer of DC's shelved The New Gods movie, has more than 10 items on her lengthy to-do list by our count. We will go over the status of each right now, one by one, starting with an additional DC Comics adaptation she has been working on with one eerily relevant premise.

DMZ - 2021 (Filming)

New York City becoming ground zero for a dystopian America torn apart by a new civil war is the premise for the HBO Max exclusive DMZ, based on the DC Vertigo comic book from Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli. In April 2020, producer Ava DuVernay tweeted that she already finished directing the pilot for the mini-series, starring The Mandalorian’s Ahsoka Tano actress Rosario Dawson, which reportedly resumed filming in January 2021.

Colin In Black & White (Post-Production)

Filming wrapped in January 2021, according to executive producer Ava DuVernay’s Instagram, for this Netflix original series inspired by the life of Colin Kaepernick, who will narrate the scripted drama starring Vampires vs. the Bronx star Jaden Michael as the football quarterback and civil rights activist in his youth. Colin in Black & White has no confirmed release, but appears to be on the right track for a 2021 debut, despite nine reported Covid-19 cases and threats of anti-Black Lives Matter protests forcing stronger security measures on set.

Naomi (In Development)

After the shelving of The New Gods, DMZ is not the last of Ava DuVernay’s plans to bring comic book properties to life. In December, the filmmaker was reportedly adapting Brian Michael Bendis’ multiverse-spanning teen superhero series Naomi into one of the upcoming DC TV shows expected to join the Arrowverse.

Caste (In Development)

Around the same time Colin in Black & White was announced for Netflix, in October 2020, Ava DuVernay also announced her first feature-length drama for the streaming platform. The filmmaker will write, direct, and produce an adaptation of Caste, Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson’s non-fiction examination of the origins of systemic racism in the United States, which was added to Oprah Winfrey’s book club selection shortly after it was published in August 2020.

Sovereign (In Development)

Also in October 2020, Ava DuVernay signed on as an executive producer for an upcoming NBC series that will follow a family of Indigenous people and their struggles against outsider threats. Sovereign is notably the first Native American family drama developed for network television in history.

Home Sweet Home (In Development)

Ava DuVernay is also bringing her eye for powerful non-scripted material to the small screen on NBC. In July 2020, she announced her creation of Home Sweet Home, a ten-part reality series in which two families from vastly different socioeconomic background will exchange lives for a week in each episode.

Wings Of Fire (In Development)

Ava DuVernay will be trying her hand at animation for the first time with Wings of Fire. The Warner Bros. Animation production, first announced in March 2020, is based on Tui T. Sutherland’s bestselling children’s book series set in a world entirely inhabited by dragons.

Dawn (In Development)

As of February 2020, Ava DuVernay is also producing an adaptation of a popular work of literary fantasy for Amazon Studios to be written and helmed by Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’s second unit director Victoria Mahoney. The series is inspired by 1987’s Dawn - the first of Octavia Butler’s dystopian Lilith’s Brood trilogy, in which the Black, female title character must revive the human race with help from extraterrestrials centuries after a nuclear war.

Untitled Nipsey Hussle Documentary (In Development)

February 2020 also saw Netflix secure distribution rights for a documentary about rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was murdered less than a year earlier. Ava DuVernay is producing and directing the currently untitled film.

Untitled Ava DuVernay/Kat Candler/TNT Project (In Development)

In collaboration with Kat Candler (a producer on the hit Netflix drama 13 Reasons Why and Ava DuVernay’s OWN series Queen Sugar), DuVernay seems to be pulling an Upton Sinclair with drama a about the Texas oil industry. First given the greenlight in November 2019, the still untitled scripted series will air on TNT.

Untitled Lupita Nyong’o/Rihanna Project (In Development)

Earlier in 2019, while promoting Jordan Peele’s thriller Us, Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o refused to give E! News details about her upcoming collaboration with actress and singer Rihanna, which came to be after a photo of them looking like heist movie stars went viral. What is known is that Ava DuVernay will direct the untitled mystery project from Insecure creator and The Lovebirds star Issa Rae’s screenplay.

The Last Amazon (In Development)

Ava DuVernay has been attached to executive produce what sounds like another DC Comics adaptation, first announced for “commissioning club” AtriumTV in 2018, but will likely follow the original mythology that later inspired Wonder Woman more faithfully whenever it airs. Written by Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. producer Rafe Judkins, The Last Amazon is said to be a retelling of how Antiope and Hippolyta led their war against the Ancient Greeks.

Battle Of Versailles (Announced)

Ava DuVernay is directing, co-writing, and producing what sounds like another HBO original war epic, first announced in 2016, but will likely be a less violent affair whenever it airs. Based on the book by Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion critic Robin Givhan, Battle of Versailles will focus on the rivalry between European designers Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Cardin and Americans Oscar de la Renta, Bill Blass, Anne Klein, and Halston at a historic French fashion show in 1973.

Like I said, Ava DuVernay is a one busy woman. Yet, is there anything from the A Wrinkle in Time director’s many, many to-do list items that you are most excited for?

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Lately, we have witnessed the DC movies reach a point of unusual contrast in their legacy with (most) fans excited over Matt Reeves’ new take on Batman and The Snyder Cut’s release evolving from hashtag to reality while the future of DCEU as a canonical shared universe remains up for debate. Yet, it is the fate of The New Gods, which is to be helmed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay, that has continued to raise the most questions among fans.

The film is based on a Fourth World mythology within DC Comics that follows a race of powerful, celestial beings who reside outside the publisher’s known multiverse. The New Gods make up some of the most iconic characters from the mind of late comic book artist extraordinaire Jack Kirby, including heroes like Big Barda or Mister Miracle as well as Darkseid or Granny Goodness, who represent some of the most pure and ruthless evil in the history of illustrated fiction. Needless to say, the mere idea of the acclaimed director behind powerful films like Selma and the Emmy-winning Netflix original docuseries 13th bringing these characters to life on the big screen is especially exciting.

However, that excitement would evolve into impatience, and later into uncertainty over whether or not this highly-anticipated project was still worthy of our anticipation or, more accurately, if it was even happening anymore. Well, admittedly, there is only so much we can confidently say about the current status of The New Gods, but perhaps we can use what we know to help reach a quantifiable answer to the question of what really is going with this flick. The following is a comprehensive breakdown of the most significant updates in the development of his long-awaited DC movie, starting at the very beginning.

Ava DuVernay Signed On To Direct The New Gods In March 2018

It was shortly after the release of her Disney-produced interpretation of Madeleine L'Engle’s high concert fantasy novel A Wrinkle in Time when Ava DuVernay’s next big budget adaptation was announced. In the middle of March in 2018, the filmmaker was chosen to helm a film based on Jack Kirby’s acclaimed New Gods characters which, according to Deadline, would not be canon to the DCEU, despite Variety’s report of the opposite. Fans were quick to voice their approval over the choice of director, not just for DuVernay’s past successes, but for when she had previously cited a New God as her favorite superhero.

Early 2019 Reports Suggested The New Gods Roles For Big Barda, Mister Miracle And Granny Goodness

Ava DuVernay’s favorite comic book hero is Big Barda, who is also one of the several characters that fans were understandably quick to assume would appear in her DC movie. By January 2019, nearly a year after The New Gods was first announced, an article by The GWW claimed the fierce, Apokoliptian warrior and her heroic lover Mister Miracle would the lead film and face off against the Female Furies and their leader, Darksied’s bizarrely terrifying accomplice Granny Goodness. Unfortunately, was no real confirmation of the characters’ involvement at the time, however, since the script had not even existed yet.

Comic Book Writer Tom King And Ava DuVernay Began Penning The New Gods In July 2019

That was until the following summer (in July 2019, to be exact) when the public was assured that the screenplay for The New Gods was finally in progress. At that year’s San Diego Comic Con, Tom King (known for recent Batman comics and the 2016 run of The Vision that WandaVision is heavily inspired by) revealed that he was preparing to write the script within days with director Ava DuVernay, whom he would later openly praise as a genius on par with Jack Kirby. The announcement would come with no further plot details, until just a number of days later.

Ava DuVernay Confirmed Darkseid And Female Furies Are In The New Gods Later July 2019

One of the most thrilling The New Gods updates came from Ava DuVernay’s Twitter on July 30, 2019, with the famous quote, “Darkseid is,” confirming that the main antagonist of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World would appear in the film. She would follow this up with another exciting tweet posted the same day assuring fans that Granny Goodness and the Furies would appear to give Mister Miracle and the director’s favorite superhero, Big Barda, trouble. This would soon lead to much fan speculation over casting, specifically over who would star as Darkseid, which would come to a head an entire year later.

In July 2020, Ray Porter Could Not Confirm If He Will Play Darkseid In The New Gods

Fans openly wondered if Ray Porter would play Darkseid in The New Gods in response to Zack Snyder’s earlier reveal that he was originally chosen for the role in Justice League, but inquiries increased after he was asked back for the Snyder Cut in 2020. That July, the actor was unable to confirm if he would reprise the character in New Gods, but did tweet his blessing for Ava DuVernay to “cast whoever she wants,” which the director replied to by thanking the “gentlemen and true artist.” Outside a few fruitless rumors suggesting Kathy Bates was considered to play Granny Goodness, that would remain the last genuine piece of information regarding casting, and the film as a whole, until later that year.

Ava DuVernay Assured She Is Still At Work On The New Gods In December 2020

With a lack of substantial updates for a worrisome amount of time and the film industry at its most fragile amid the outbreak of Covid-19, the uncertainty surrounding the future of The New Gods would reach its peak in 2020. As it turns out, fans should have interpreted that silence as a sign of hope as Ava DuVernay would explain in a December tweet how the pandemic actual gave her and Tom King the chance to dig deeper into this world and the “mind and musings of Jack Kirby.” By offering a way to look at the brightside of the “surreal” circumstances of the past year, the director assured fans that The New Gods, like Darkseid, is.

So, as far as we can tell, The New Gods is still happening and is conscious to avoid development hell with Ava DuVernay serving as its confident guide - even as her hands are full with a number other projects on the rise. I suppose, in an effort to keep looking on the bright side, the extensive and often mysterious wait has only increased our anticipation for this comic book movie epic. Has it had the same effect on you?

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In the past decade there are few filmmakers who have released movies, television series, or documentaries that have as much cultural significance and long-term impact as Ava DuVernay. Since the 2014 release of Selma, DuVernay has taken on projects that share the untold, or under-told stories from the most important moments in the history of the United States. With her examination of modern-day slavery in 13th to the mistreatment and mischaracterization of a group of New York City youth in When They See Us, the critically acclaimed director has made her mark.

But in addition to speaking out against the injustices of the world, Ava DuVernay has become somewhat of a trailblazer in the world of filmmaking with the 2018 release of A Wrinkle in Time, her contributions to film academies, and even her work in comic book movies. And with several of DuVernay's projects being more meaningful now than ever, there's never been a better time to look at the life, career, and impact of the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker.

Ava DuVernay Originally Had A Career In Public Relations, With Film Work On The Side

Judging by the quality of her work in films like Selma and 13th, you would have thought that Ava DuVernay always aspired to be a filmmaker, but that's not the case. Shortly after the release of the 2014 civil rights drama about Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic march in Alabama, DuVernay revealed to Real Simple that she didn't become a filmmaker until she was in her 30s after spending more than a decade in public relations:

But that all changed when Ava DuVernay began working on her own script at night and finally decided to make the jump to filmmaking shortly after. And while the writer-director at one point felt her late start would hurt her, she later learned to take what she learned from her previous profession to make her a better filmmaker.

Disney Reached out To Ava DuVernay To Direct A Wrinkle In Time

The way that Ava DuVernay gave her all to the 2018 Disney adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time, you would think that the director was the one who pitched the idea to the "House of Mouse," but it was actually the other way around. During a 2018 interview with Collider, DuVernay revealed that Disney reached out to her as the studio was making a push to have a more diverse group of filmmakers attached to their latest projects, stating:

The Academy Award-nominated filmmaker also pointed to the likes of Ryan Coogler, Taika Waititi, and Niki Caro, who were all given an opportunity by Disney to bring new life and different perspectives to different projects involving the studio's various properties.

Ava DuVernay Became The First African American Female To Direct A Movie That Earned $100 Million At The Box Office

A Wrinkle in Time wasn't the critical or commercial darling that fans of Madeleine L'Engle's classic novel hoped it would be, but Ava DuVernay's 2018 adaptation was anything but a failure in terms of its impact on big-budget productions. The movie was the first time an African American female director was given a $100 million budget as well as the first time a movie of its kind crossed a special threshold at the box office.

According to Blackfilm, the 2018 adaptation hit the $100 million mark (domestically) after 101 days in theaters, which earned Ava DuVernay the distinction of being the first African American female director to earn a spot in the $100 million club. And even though the movie lost money when compared to its large production and marketing budgets, this shouldn't take away from the fact that DuVernay was able to help a movie reach such a historical milestone.

Ava DuVernay Almost Directed Black Panther

Back before Ryan Coogler was brought on to write and direct the landmark 2018 Marvel film Black Panther, Disney and Marvel Studios were looking for unique voices to bring on to tell T'Challa and Wakanda's story. Ava DuVernay was one of those voices, and it looks like she was close to signing on as she told The Hollywood Reporter in 2015, when talking about considering the film and asking herself if it was important enough to commit years to making, she said:

Despite having a desire to tell the story of one of the most culturally rich figures in comics, Ava DuVernay ultimately decided to pass on the offer, citing creative differences are her main reason.

Ava DuVernay Originally Started Working On When They See Us After One of The Central Park Five Tweeted Her

One of Ava DuVernay's most successful projects is her 2019 Netflix limited series When They See Us, which chronicles the events and aftermath of the 1989 Central Park jogger case and the five suspects who were falsely accused and vilified after the attack. But this groundbreaking miniseries never would have become a reality if it weren't for a tweet sent out by one of the Central Park Five.

Shortly after the series was released in the summer of 2019, Ava DuVernay told Forbes that she first started working on the project in 2015 after Raymond Santana Jr. sent her a direct message on Twitter asking about her next project with "CP5 #fingerscrossed" added at the end. A few months later, DuVernay and Santana met when the director was in New York City, and the rest is history.

Big Barda, One Of The New Gods, Happens To Be Ava DuVernay's Favorite Superhero

We will never get to know what the world of Black Panther would have been like with Ava DuVernay behind the camera, but fans of the DC Comics franchise New Gods will get to see the director's interpretation of the series when the upcoming movie finally hits theaters. And judging by a 2017 tweet from the Selma and 13th director, New Gods will be in a good set of hands as DuVernay's favorite comic book character is a New God herself:

That tweet about Big Barda was sent out several months before it was even announced that Ava DuVernay was attached to the DC project. It's safe to say that New Gods won't be anything less than a passion project for the remarkably talented and creative filmmaker.

Ava DuVernay Was Elected To The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences Board In 2020

The Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences has long been accused of having a diversity problem, especially in the past few years. To combat this, the Academy recently started making a push to have more diverse members of its Board, including the March 2020 election of Ava DuVernay to the directors branch.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ava DuVernay was one of six first-time members elected to the board in 2020. The election established new records with the election of 26 women and 12 people of color. DuVernay's election is just one part of the Academy's push to have Oscar-eligible films to become more diverse and inclusive in the years to come.

The future is still very bright for Ava DuVernay, and it's safe to say that we haven't seen everything she has to offer the world of cinema as well as the world in general. And as the years go on and more of her projects see the light of day, the world will learn to appreciate the talent and determination of the critically-acclaimed filmmaker.

This isn’t a revolutionary statement, but Hollywood lacks a bit of diversity. Composing this list of films written by people of color was extremely hard. It was hard because people of color is a term hard to define. For some, people of color means anyone who is part of a marginalized group, for others, the term means anyone whose skin color is a certain hue. It was also not an easy list to make because a lot of groups that fall in the general term people of color don’t have many options available nor are they easy to access. I hope with the changing climate that we’ll see an increase in Hollywood of people of color being hired behind the scenes as well as on the screen.

With that aside, for this list, I selected ten movies that I really enjoyed and think others might as well--mainly because of the writing in these films. Many of these flicks are lesser known, but available online, either through a streaming service or on a VOD platform where they can be purchased or rented. I tried to include as many different groups that fall under the umbrella of "people of color" and to encompass many different film genres.

Columbus (Kogonada)

Columbus is a film that acts as tribute to architecture and the city of Columbus, Indiana. The film follows Jin Lee (John Cho) who comes to Columbus because his father is sick. He strikes up a friendship with Casey (Haley Lu Richardson), who loves Columbus and helps Jin see the beauty of it. While learning to love the city, he’s also trying to reconcile his complicated relationship with his father. Columbus is beautiful to look at for the amazing architecture of Columbus, and for its quiet approach to topics like familial loyalty, growing up, and heritage.

Columbus was Kogonada’s first time directing a feature film. He is mostly known for his video essays. He’s done video essays and documentaries on various subjects, including filmmakers, like Wes Anderson and Stanley Kubrick. Currently, Kogonada has a film set for a 2021 release that he directed and wrote called After Yang. Colin Farrell, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Justin H. Min are set to star.

Monsoon Wedding (Sabrina Dhawan)

Monsoon Wedding follows two different families as they prepare to unite through the arranged marriage of Aditi (Vasundhara Das) and Hemant Rai (Parvin Dabas). Leading up to the wedding, there are various romantic entanglements and secrets on the brink of being exposed, including Aditi’s affair with her married boss.

Sabrina Dhawan's screenwriting credits include nearly a dozen films, including her most recent movie, Rangoon, which is a film set during World War II, and about a Bollywood stunt woman, who is based on real life Bollywood stunt woman Mary Ann Evans aka Fearless Nadia.

Ana E Vitoria (Matheus Souza)

Ana E Vitoria follows real life music duo Anavitoria. It starts with a party, and shows how they connect to become a music act. The film also explores their various relationships as two bisexual women just trying to find true love. Ana E Vitoria heavily showcases the power of social media in today’s culture, and especially in these two characters' lives. The film is also partly a musical, which uses songs to show moments of reflection.

Matheus Souza has written for various Brazilian television series and movies, including Confissões de Adolescente, Apenas o Fim, and Eduardo e Mônica.

The Farewell (Lulu Wang)

In The Farewell, Billi (Awkwafina) travels to China to see her grandmother Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhao), but under false pretenses. Billi and her family tell Nai Nai that they’re all coming to China for the wedding of a cousin, but it’s really because Nai Nai is dying of a terminal illness. The movie is based on Lulu Wang’s real life experience, and Awkwafina’s portrayal as Billi won her a 2020 Golden Globe.

Most of Lulu Wang’s screenwriting credits include documentaries, short films, web series, and music videos. A film called Posthumous was her directorial debut. It starred Brit Marling and Jack Huston, and it’s about a man who fakes his death because his art is worth more as a dead man than as an alive one. Wang is also a writer on the upcoming Amazon Prime Nicole Kidman produced series The Expatriates.

Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler)

Fruitvale Station follows the days leading up to the tragic death of Oscar Grant, a 22-year old man shot on New Year's Day in 2009 by the Oakland, California police. The event was filmed on a cellphone camera, which helped lead to the arrest and conviction of the officer who shot Grant. Michael B. Jordan plays the lead role, and Melonie Diaz, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray, and Octavia Spencer have supporting roles.

After Fruitvale Station, Ryan Coogler developed a collaborative partnership with Michael B. Jordan, working with him on Creed and Black Panther. Coogler co-wrote Space Jam II and Black Panther II, which are scheduled for a 2021 and 2022 release.

The Sapphires (Co-wrote By Tony Briggs)

The Sapphires is an Australian musical dramedy loosely based on true events surrounding an indigenous Australian women’s group in the 60s. Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens, and Miranda Tapsell play The Sapphires and Chris O’Dowd plays the talent scout who discovers them.

Tony Briggs is the son and nephew of real life Sapphires members. He also wrote the play for which the film is based. Briggs wrote for a show called The Warriors. Besides writing, he also acts himself. He appeared in projects like Rake, Cleverman and Nowhere Boys.

Middle Of Nowhere (Ava DuVernay)

Middle of Nowhere is a film about Ruby (Emayatzy Corinealdi), a woman who tries to be a faithful, devoted wife to her husband Derek (Omari Hardwick) while he serves his time in prison. However, she must decide if he’s worth giving up her life for. David Oyelowo and Lorraine Toussaint also star.

Middle of Nowhere is one of Ava DuVernay’s first films. She later went on to direct and write Selma, A Wrinkle in Time, Queen Sugar, When They See Us, and upcoming DC Universe film A New Gods.

Blindspotting (Co-written By Daveed Diggs)

Real life best friends Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal co-wrote and star in Blindspotting, a movie about a man who only has a few days left on his sentence. He then witnesses a police officer shoot an unarmed black man. The incident haunts him and sends him spiraling.

Of course, Diggs is most known for his acting roles in projects like Hamilton, Wonder, Black-ish, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and The Snowpiercer TV series. Currently, he doesn't have any other screenwriting credits.

Top End Wedding (Co-written By Miranda Tapsell)

Top End Wedding is about Lauren (Miranda Tapsell), who flies home to Darwin to marry her fiance Ned (Gwilym Lee). Once back in Darwin, Lauren and Ned discover that Lauren’s mother has run away. The film is about two women reconnecting with their heritage and homeland.

Miranda Tapsell is an Australian actress most known for her roles in The Sapphires, Love Child, Wolf Creek, and Little J & Big Cuz. Tapsell also wrote a few episodes for the comedy series Get Krackin.

Pariah (Dee Rees)

Pariah is about a 17-year old named Alike (Adepero Oduye) who is just discovering herself and her identity as a lesbian, but her mother refuses to accept Alike’s identity, even forcing her to be more feminine.

Dee Rees’s most famous work includes Bessie, Mudbound, When We Rise, Electric Dreams, The Last Thing He Wanted, and Space Force.

The world of indie films is vast and wide, so if none of these films spark your interest, I encourage you to go hunting for more films written by people of color. It may take awhile to find them, but they’re worth the effort.

13th is the powerful documentary by Ava DuVernay that explores the prison system and how it is used as a weapon against minorities. The 100-minute film provides viewers with a vital history lesson on racial injustices that have hurt black Americans throughout the formation of this nation. It’s not an easy documentary to watch because it points a mirror back at the United States, and holds the entire nation accountable for the systems it instilled and created to oppress certain groups of people. 13th should be required viewing for all. Not everyone is going to like it or agree with the film’s stance, but that’s what makes it fascinating viewing.

While people are watching movies like The Help to better understand racial inequality and police brutality, there are many profound and educational films available by black filmmakers to view: 13th is one of those films. If you’re still unsure about whether to watch 13th, here’s some reasons to check it out:

It Makes You Reevaluate The Prison System

13th shows how the prison system began after the Civil War. The documentary highlights how prisons and incarceration began as a way for the South to continue to have free labor. The 13th Amendment of the Constitution granted everyone freedom from slavery--except those in prison for a crime. This led to the targeting of black people for any minor crime, so that they could be used for free labor.

According to 13th, D. W. Griffith created the 1915 film Birth of a Nation to help demonize the black man, which created fear, division, and terrorism against black Americans. DuVernay eloquently lays out her evidence to show how the prison system in the past helped divide the nation even further. She also shows how centuries of imprisonment of guilty and innocent black and brown people helped internalize and elevate the nation’s fear of black people. DuVernay also shows how the whole prison system works as a business. It allows big corporations to use free labor, while creating these laws that disproportionately hurt underprivileged black and brown people.

It Shows The Repetitive Nature Of History

The first half of 13th shows how there was slavery, then the KKK terrorizing black people, then segregation, and now the prison system and police brutality. The film shows a cycle of harmful patterns against African Americans, and how it continues to repeat. The film criticizes political leaders like Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump--showing how they’ve all played a part in the nation’s criminalizing of black Americans.

One of 13th’s most powerful moments is when DuVernay uses archival footage from the early 1900s and Civil Rights movement to show how black people were bullied and beat by white Americans, and pairs that with footage from the last few years of the same thing, while Trump talks about “the good ol’ days.” It’s sequences like that, and others, that shows this harmful, repetitive cycle of history.

13th also weaves in some of the most devastating racially based moments of today, like the murder of Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner, with past similar incidents like the murder of Emmett Till, and the wrongful imprisonment of the Central Park Five.

13th Shows The Use of Institutional Racism In The United States

13th really drives home the message of how the systems in place, especially the justice system, are designed to keep black and brown people oppressed. One of 13th’s most powerful facts is that 97 percent of those incarcerated have never had a trial. According to the film, Innocent and guilty people of color will take a lesser sentence out of fear of getting the maximum one. They won’t fight for their freedom by going to court, even if they’re innocent.

DuVernay and the people featured also discussed how the distribution of wealth adds to this as well. Those who are wealthy can afford lawyers, bail, and things of that nature, whereas poverty doesn’t allow the same luxuries as legal defense and bail.

To Hear Historians Speak On The Past And Present State Of Racial Inequality

DuVernay tried to get the input and voices of people from all sides of the political coin. In her interview (also on Netflix) with Oprah about 13th, she shared that at least 40 percent of those interviewed were conservatives. The film allows you to hear views from both sides of the discussion. It also has some insight and perspective from historical figures that have been in the fight for equal rights for decades, like legend Angela Davis.

13th allows viewers to listen to how historical figures and historians believe the criminal and political systems have changed and evolved in the United States.

To Become More Informed About The Experience Of Black And Brown Americans

Likely, if you’re interested in watching 13th, then you want to learn more about the prison system, and what Ava DuVernay and others have to say about it. This film isn’t geared toward any specific race, instead it’s speaking to all audiences open to the film’s message. 13th presents facts and opinions in a way that those watching can make of them how they see fit. Watching 13th with an open mind allows you to absorb the information, and then form your own opinions of it. For some, they will rage against the film and label it propaganda and false. For others, they might see how incarceration and the criminal justice system might structurally work against certain groups of minorities.

The film, like any documentary, is going to be divisive, but for those who watch it seeking out a way to understand centuries of oppression, then 13th does a good job of laying out its case against the prison system. The audience can then seek out more opinions and voices on the topic, reflect on the film, or take action to support or oppose the film’s arguments. Either way, it’s a film worth your time.

Ava DuVernay will continue to build her resume with a variety of projects, but 13th is definitely one of her most interesting films. You can stream 13th on Netflix here.

During a recent interview with CinemaBlend to promote Da 5 Bloods, legendary director Spike Lee opened up about ways to widen the platform for other directors of color. Lee felt that the easiest way for marginalized communities to get their stories told in movies or on television was to get more people of color in the gatekeeping roles at the studios. He talked about how executives in Hollywood are the ones making the creative decisions, and until we see more representation at the top, the status quo will prevail.

The Academy, to its credit, started walking that walk, instead of simply talking the talk. Selma and A Wrinkle In Time director Ava DuVernay recently was elected to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors. DuVernay will represent the directors branch. All board members serve a three year term.

According to the Academy’s official Website, Oscars.org, BoG members are responsible for the following tasks:

In short, by guiding the direction of the Academy on whole, they can be the voice of change that Spike Lee as talking with CinemaBlend about. The Hollywood Reporter notes that in addition to DuVernay, the Academy established new records in the number of female (26) and persons of color (12) currently sitting on the Board of Governors. That’s up from the previous records of 25 and 11, respectively.

It may sound small. But these are exactly the types of changes that need to occur in an organization to trigger sustainable change. To its credit, the Academy has been making the necessary steps to better reflect diversity in its ranks. And as Spike Lee pointed out in our interview, it was after their initial improvements that we started to see movies like Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, Hidden Figures and BlackKklansman earn nominations, while Parasite and Moonlight earned significant wins.

And those changes will continue to expand. Days after Ava DuVernay’s appointment, the Academy implemented even more criteria that it wants Oscar-eligible films to meet regarding diversity and inclusion standards. In a release, Academy CEO Dawn Hudson said:

Here’s Spike Lee talking about that need for voices at the top, a conversation that occurred right as the Academy was taking long-overdue measurements to make that a reality.

I suspect that we will see and hear changes like this implemented at most organizations, but for the time being, applaud the Academy for leading the way toward significant and necessary changes to its long-standing traditions. It’s only by representing all that the movies can appeal to the largest audiences. When we look up at that big screen, we should all recognize ourselves in the stories being told. Today, it feels like we’re a step or two closer to that dream.

For many of us, there is nothing that compares to a great music video. There's a special art to being able to tell a story or evoke emotions by brining visuals to a popular song, an art that requires someone with a great deal of skill and an eye for the dramatic. Much like David Fincher's 1990 music video for the Madonna song "Vogue." But Fincher isn't alone.

There are dozens of directors who have either gotten their start in the music video industry or jumped over to the medium after finding success on the big screen or television. Names like Spike Lee, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Spike Jonze have all made some of the most culturally significant and eye-catching videos of all time. But some of us may forget, or don't know, that some of our favorite videos were directed by the biggest names in Hollywood. But fear not, as I have you covered…

David Fincher - Vogue, Madonna (1990)

Before creating some of the most important films of the last 25 years with the likes of Seven, Fight Club, and The Social Network, David Fincher got his start in the music video business by creating groundbreaking videos like the 1990 black-and-white masterpiece that is Madonna's "Vogue." This iconic and the visionary video is filled with the technical precision and artistry that the English director would bring to his movies just a few years later and showed what he was capable of pulling off. It also didn't hurt that this was the third time Fincher and Madonna had teamed up after collaborating on "Express Yourself" and "Oh Father," a year earlier.

Spike Jonze - Weapon Of Choice, Fatboy Slim (2001)

Younger audiences may know Spike Jonze for his 2013 science fiction romance drama Her, but the Academy Award-winning filmmaker made quite a name for himself with his cinematic and revolutionary music videos in the 1990s. Collaborating with artists like Beastie Boys, Weezer, and R.E.M. for some of most memorable music videos of the decade, Jonze's most notable work arguably comes from his pairing with Fatboy Slim for the Grammy Award-winning "Weapon of Choice" video starring Christopher Walken dancing in a deserted hotel lobby. You can see elements of Jonze's signature style peppered throughout the dreamlike nearly four-minute video.

Martin Scorsese - Bad, Michael Jackson (1987)

There are music videos directed by legendary filmmakers and there is the Michael Jackson's "Bad." Directed by Martin Scorsese, this 18-minute music video plays more like any one of the acclaimed directors feature films. By combining elements from West Side Story with flash and style of in-his-prime King of Pop, Scorsese created one of the most groundbreaking videos of the 1980s. Remarkably, this is one of only two music videos the director of Goodfellas, Raging Bull, and The Irishman directed throughout his career. Oh, it also features a young Wesley Snipes, who only had a few acting credits at this point in his career.

Spike Lee - Fight The Power, Public Enemy (1988)

The Public Enemy track "Fight the Power" was originally created to serve as the anthem of Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, so it was only fitting that the director created the empowering music video in 1989. Made to look like a political rally, the "Fight the Power" video is a seven-minute affair showing thousands of extras in the streets of New York walking behind the revolutionary and politically-charged rap group. You can see the director's style throughout the video, which came out a few years before Denzel Washington gave a career-defining performance in the Spike Lee joint Malcolm X.

Gus Van Sant - Under The Bridge, Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991)

Anyone who was alive and conscious in the early '90s will never forget the groundbreaking and breathtaking video for the Red Hot Chili Peppers song "Under the Bridge," but until recently, I didn't know that auteur Gus Van Sant was responsible for this MTV mainstay. Having just finished work on My Own Private Idaho, in which RHCP bassist Flea had a role, Van Sant was asked by the band to provide his talents and signature style to create a music video. By combining elements of realism and fantasy, the video has a distinct feel to it, which is probably why it's still held in such high regard nearly 30 years after it was first released.

Brian De Palma - Dancing In The Dark, Bruce Springsteen (1984)

Mostly known for one of the first appearances from future Friends star Courteney Cox, Bruce Springsteen's 1984 video for "Dancing in the Dark" remains one of the most popular MTV mainstays from the 1980s. The video, shot over the course of two nights at the beginning of The Boss' "Born in the USA" tour, is the only one shot by director Brian De Palma over the course of his 50-plus-year career. Known for his action and attention to detail in films like Scarface, The Untouchables, and Mission: Impossible, De Palma's video has a laser-focus on Springsteen and Cox throughout this well-lit and masterfully directed spectacle.

Ava DuVernay - Family Feud - Jay-Z Ft. Beyoncé (2018)

Ava DuVernay is responsible for one of the most star-studded and visionary music videos in quite some time with her video for the Jay-Z and Beyoncé song "Family Feud" from the rapper's 4:44 2018 album. At nearly eight minutes in length, the video jumps through time dissecting a number of issues affecting society before ending in a massive cathedral where the power-couple provide and intimate and powerful performance to an empty room. The director of Selma, A Wrinkle in Time, and the Netflix series When They See Us brings a breath of fresh air to the format in her first and only music video.

Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris - 1979, Smashing Pumpkins (1996)

Trying to decide which Smashing Pumpkins video from Jonathan Dayton and Varlie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine, Ruby Sparks) to include on this list was no easy task, but it had to be the music video for the band's 1996 song "1979." Sure, "Tonight, Tonight," is probably the more iconic collaboration, but the vague lyrics and close-up camera angles of the cast of characters featured in the "1979" video creates an atmosphere and feeling that is unmatched 22 years later. I remember being a kid and being transfixed by the imagery of a group of friends holding onto their fleeting innocence before adulthood stripped it away.

Paul Thomas Anderson - Across The Universe, Fiona Apple (1998)

Paul Thomas Anderson is mostly associated with actors like Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Daniel Day-Lewis, but the American filmmaker also had a fruitful professional (and intimate) relationship with singer-songwriter Fiona Apple from the late 1990s to the early 2000s. This resulted in a series of striking music videos, including Apple's 1998 cover of The Beatles song "Across the Universe." Much like many of PTA's movies throughout his career, the music video plays with the contrast of beauty and madness as the singer softly recites the famous lyrics while complete chaos unfolds behind her.

Mark Romanek - Shake It Off, Taylor Swift (2014)

Unlike pretty much everyone else on this list, Mark Romanek is a music video director that just so happened to make a few movies along the way. On the movie side, Romanek is mostly known for the chilling thriller starring the late Robin Williams One Hour Photo, but his music video work is unmatched by probably anyone not named Hype Williams. Winning over 20 MTV Video Music Awards for his long list of contributions to the medium, Romanek has worked with artists like Nine Inch Nails and Taylor Swift for her "Shake it Off" video. That may sound like a crazy jump from NIN to T. Swift, but you can see elements of the director's previous entries in the 2014 music video, especially the off-putting look of the symmetrical ballerinas and cuts to figures moving in slow motion.

I hope you have had just as much fun watching this old videos and looking back on their legacy as I have had putting this together. There is something about a great music video that makes me all nostalgic and think about those lazy afternoons watching the best videos MTV (and VH1) had to offer. If you think I missed a video or have one you'd like for people to see, drop it in the comments below.

Actor and comedian John Witherspoon, who was known for his comedic turns on shows such as black-ish, The Tracy Morgan Show and The Wayans Bros., as well as films like the Friday franchise, Dr. Doolittle 2 and Bulworth, died yesterday at the age of 77. After a loving statement from Witherspoon's family, which was posted to his personal Twitter page, confirmed his death, fans, and many of the celebrities he had worked with during his over 40 year career in film and TV, began to post tributes to the comic actor.

Rapper / actor Ice Cube was one of the first to post about John Witherspoon's death. Ice Cube, of course, starred in Friday and its sequels Next Friday and Friday After Next with Witherspoon, who played the father of his character in the franchise. Witherspoon was set to reprise his role in another upcoming sequel, Last Friday, but the film is in pre-production and hasn't begun filming yet. Here's the sweet and simple message Ice Cube posted:

Marlon Wayans, who also played John Withspoon's son, but on The Wayans Bros., which ran from 1995-1999 on The WB, has posted tributes to Witherspoon on his Instagram a few times since learning of his death. But, his first post in particular, is a wonderful remembrance of the man and what he's meant to him and his career. Take a look...

John Witherspoon's long career also included several gigs as a voice actor, and he is well-remembered for his work voicing Granddad on The Boondocks from 2005-2014. Oscar winner Regina King, who voiced Riley on the series and can currently be seen on Watchmen, took to Twitter to share her feelings on Witherspoon's passing:

Questlove, drummer and joint frontman for The Roots (which has served as Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show house band since 2014), reached out on Instagram to post a beautiful tribute to John Witherspoon which explains why the comedian struck a chord with so many fans...

Comedian, actor and former late night talk show host Arsenio Hall, who has signed on to reprise his role alongside Eddie Murphy in the planned sequel Coming 2 America, also had some lovely words to offer for his fellow comedic legend:

Oscar nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay, who's currently working on the Warner Bros. / DC comics film New Gods, also stepped up and added a very succinct thank you post for all the work John Witherspoon has done to her Twitter feed...

John Witherspoon, who most recently appeared in Black Jesus for Adult Swim as well as voicing a role in BoJack Horseman, is survived by his wife Angela and his sons, Alexander and JD. All of John Witherspoon's family and friends will be in our thoughts; he will be missed.

The DC Extended Universe’s original plans for the Fourth World mythology may not have panned out, but that doesn’t mean Jack Kirby’s creations are being abandoned on the silver screen. A New Gods movie is in development, and the director, Ava DuVernay, is currently working on the script with comic book writer Tom King, who has some experience with these Gods through his Mister Miracle series.

We’re a long ways off from learning any specifics about New Gods, but according to Tom King, this project is in good hands with Ava DuVernay, with the writer calling the filmmaker a genius. As King put it:

Tom King commended Ava DuVernay while speaking with Publisher’s Weekly, and to compare her to Jack Kirby, one of the comic book medium’s most important and influential figures, is high praise indeed. The way King sees it, DuVernay and Kirby’s similar backgrounds and career paths making her uniquely suited to tackle this gigantic corner of the DC Comics mythology.

Ava DuVernay already has some experience in the sci-fi realm through last year’s A Wrinkle in Time, and her other notable work includes 2014’s Selma and the Netflix miniseries When They See Us. It’s safe to say that New Gods will be her biggest project yet, but Tom King believes she’s the right person to shine the spotlight on these characters.

As mentioned earlier, the Fourth World mythology has already been partially explored through Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, with the latter movie showing Steppenwolf leading an army of Parademons to retrieve the three Mother Boxes left on Earth and turn our world into a duplicate of Apokolips. Darkseid was also supposed to be introduced in the movie to lay the groundwork for Justice League sequels, but in the theatrical cut, he was only mentioned once.

Since the interconnectivity of the DCEU is largely being abandoned in favor of standalone stories, it’s unclear if New Gods will build off the events of Justice League or if it’s starting from scratch. If it’s the latter, then we’ll likely be introduced to a different version of Steppenwolf. Regardless, it’s looking like New Gods is one of the DC movies that stands a legitimate chance of moving forward rather than languishing in development hell.

It was announced that Ava DuVernay will direct New Gods back in March 2018, and Tom King’s involvement was revealed this past May. DuVernay confirmed that Darkseid and the Female Furies will appear, meaning the rumors of Mister Miracle and Granny Goodness showing up too are probably on the mark.

New Gods doesn’t have a release date yet, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for that information and other updates on the project’s development. For now, find out what other DC movies are in the works with our handy guide.

Welcome to HeroBlend #65! This week, Eric, Adrienne and Gabe have a special show for you that includes an interview with Hobbs & Shaw director David Leitch! First, though, we'll discuss the week's major superhero news items. This will include word about Joker's Oscar potential, fans' fears for Wonder Woman 1984, the big villain who'll appear in New Gods, when Black Adam could start filming, a Swamp Thing surprise, plus updates on Venom 2 and Black Widow.

Next, Amazon's new superhero show The Boys has finally premiered, and we're going to give you a spoiler-free rundown of what you can expect from the diabolical series that takes superhero tropes to new heights by taking its characters to some insane lows. We'll talk about the characters, mysteries that are building and give our general thoughts on how the first half of the eight-part series is shaping up. Be sure to tune in next week, because then we'll get into full spoilers and talk about how everything in The Boys wraps up.

Last, but definitely not least, we've come to our massive Hobbs & Shaw portion of the podcast! We'll start by giving you our general thoughts on the first in what will probably be a long line of Fast & Furious spinoffs, then move into Eric's interview with director David Leitch. They'll be talking all about the surprising cameos, action and spoilers, so be sure to head out to see the film before you listen! We'll then wrap things up by getting into our own spoilery thoughts on the action movie.

Now, sit back and relax, folks, because this is one chat you're not going to want to miss. Ready to dive in? Great! Listen for yourself above!

1:13 - News

29:30 - The Boys Spoiler Free Reviews, Part 1

41:02 - Hobbs & Shaw Spoiler Free Reviews

48: 51 - David Leitch Interview

1:10:22 - Hobbs & Shaw Full Spoiler Thoughts

Now, get in on the superhero-filled fun and have a listen to the HeroBlend Podcast #65! And, be sure to subscribe to the HeroBlend Podcast on iTunes, right here, follow us on Twitter @HeroBlend and follow our hosts @eeisenberg, @HeyAJ74 and @gabeKovacs.

Netflix has revealed its most-watched series for late Spring 2019. The streamer rarely makes the move of sharing its viewership info with fans. Well, it is making an exception to share what has been most popular this month.

The most-watched show since May 31 has not been the popular Netflix-saved series Lucifer. It arrived early last month on May 8. Nor is it the divisively received, but always viral, fifth season of Black Mirror. It premiered on the streamer on June 5. It's not even the addictive Dead to Me, which premiered May 3 and just got renewed for Season 2. Find out what it is via the Netflix tweet below:

Netflix reports that its original miniseries When They See Us has been its most-watched series. When They See Us premiered on the streamer at the very end of last month -- May 31. The tweet was posted on June 12. Meaning that When They See Us has been the most-watched TV series on Netflix for almost two weeks.

Ava DuVernay, who created, directed, and co-wrote the drama, responded to the news below Netflix’s post. In the tweet, she thanked those who watched the series “on behalf of all the artists” who made When They See Us.

Twitter users have retweeted Netflix’s announcement more than 25,000 times with the tweet garnering over 87,000 likes. When They See Us is based on the true story of the Central Park Five. Here is Netflix’s official description of the four-part drama:

When They See Us has received widespread critical acclaim. The series has secured a 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In comparison, Black Mirror’s fifth season earned a 66% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Black Mirror’s most significant issues in Season 5, according to the critics, spanned several areas.

One of Season 5’s episodes made it onto the list of CinemaBlend’s own Gina Carbone's picks for the ten best Black Mirror episodes. Fans are currently waiting for a decisive announcement on a sixth season.

Meanwhile, Lucifer fans know that the end is in sight for their series. Combined with news of its renewal came the announcement that its fifth season would also be the show's last. A petition for Lucifer to live on beyond that has already been started.

As for Netflix sharing its ratings, that is a rare thing for the streamer. It has done so on occasion, and usually to brag -- like it did for Bird Box's viewer numbers. Last month, Netflix’s U.K. Twitter account revealed the top 10 most-watched series on the service in the U.K. during April. The Stephen King-praised Z Nation spinoff Black Summer proved incredibly popular. Otherwise, those curious have had to rely on third-party means to gauge what subscribers are binge-watching most.

Stay tuned to see if Netflix keeps its ratings reveals going. When They See Us is currently streaming on Netflix, along with four seasons (so far) of Lucifer and five of Black Mirror. More series are set to join them throughout the year as new summer content continues to arrive on television.

Ava DuVernay has become one of the most prominent and well known directors in Hollywood today. She has a strong following on socaia media and has helmed films from the Oscar winning Selma to Disney's adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time. However, there is one particular area of Hollywood, the tentpole action blockbuster, which Duvernay says she has yet to get an opportunity to make, and she's very interested.

Specifically, the director of the upcoming Netflix miniseries, When They See Us, says that if she'd been offered John Wick Chapter 3, she would have been all over that. According to Duvernay...

All three John Wick movies to date have been directed by Chad Stahelski, (the first was a co-directing effort with an uncredited David Leitch). Following three successful films in the franchise, and Stahelski's own comment that he's happy to keep making the films as long as people keep wanting to watch them, it seems unlikely that anybody will be taking over that director's chair anytime soon.

Having said that, Ava DuVernay's broader point, that she's not being offered many movies at all, and especially not of the genre's that tend to have broader audience appeal, is a point well taken. It seems that because DuVernay has made her name thanks to historical biopics and stories about Black people, those are the projects she's being offered.

There have been some exceptions of course. DuVernay made history becoming the first woman of color to direct a movie with a budget over $100 million with A Wrinkle in Time. She's also signed on to direct her first comic book movie with DC's New Gods. Still one would think that with DuVernay's track record there would be studios lining up to offering her work.

As she points out to The Guardian, the number of women and women of color who are working in prominent directing positions is an unfortunately small list. She does mention, Victoria Mahoney, who is the second unit director on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, so there are steps forward being taken.

While we might not see Ava DuVernay direct a John Wick movie, hopefully someday she'll get a shot a big budget action movie. She could certainly bring a new perspective to the genre that it's never seen before, which might be just the sort of thing that Hollywood needs.

The Star Wars franchise is currently going full throttle. With Disney now in charge of the beloved property, Lucasfilm is producing a ton of new and exciting content, greatly expanding the galaxy far, far away in the process. Both main installments and standalone films have been making tons of money and earned critical acclaim, but there is a point of contention within the beloved franchise. Namely, that they've all been directed by white men. There has been a call for more diversity both behind and in front of the camera, and now the franchise is doing just that. Director Victoria Mahoney has been hired as the second unit director for Episode IX.

This is a major moment Star Wars history, as Victoria Mahoney will be the first black director and the first female director to work on the franchise. The news came to us from acclaimed director Ava DuVernay, who dropped the bomb via her Twitter, saying:

It's official, there is now both a female and person of color voice contributing to Star Wars as a director, which has been a subject of conversation for the past few years. Ever since the #OscarsSoWhite controversy hit, there has been a new focus on having more inclusivity onscreen. While everyone at Lucasfilm has maintained that both female and POC directors would be hired eventually, this is a major step forward, making the idea a reality.

Interestingly enough, Ava DuVernay actually put Victoria Mahoney on Disney's radar. As Mahoney responded to DuVernay, saying:

Ava DuVernay's role in helping Victoria Mahoney get hired for Episode IX is particularly powerful, considering how many barriers that DuVernay has broken down herself. She first made history thought her her work on Selma, being the first black female director to be nominated for a Golden Globe Award, as well as the first black female director to have her movie nominated for a best picture Oscar. With A Wrinkle In Time she became the first African-American woman to direct a live-action film with a budget exceeding $100 million. Now DuVernay is paying it forward, and helping another black woman get her foot into the door-- in perhaps the biggest franchise of all time.

Episode IX will arrive in December of 2019. But first, Solo: A Star Wars Story will debut May 25, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Last night, seemingly out of nowhere, came the news that Selma director Ava DuVernay had signed on to direct The New Gods for Warner Bros. and DC. This is exciting news, as it both confirms that we're getting a New Gods movie and that Warner Bros. is again tapping a talented female director to helm one of their tentpole films. As for Ava DuVernay, she celebrated her new gig with a tribute to the history of the characters and the man who first brought them to life, Jack Kirby. Take a look.

You can't go wrong with paying tribute to Jack Kirby. So many of the amazing comic book worlds and characters we now get to experience on screen wouldn't exist without the legendary comic book artist and writer. Jack Kirby collaborated with Stan Lee to create many of Marvel's most iconic characters, including the Fantastic Four, Thor, Iron Man, the X-Men and Black Panther before eventually heading to DC to create the New Gods.

Ava DuVernay herself has said that Big Barda, a New God and Kirby creation, as her favorite superhero, and now she gets to bring this fierce character to life on the big screen. Jack Kirby had his fair share of great quotes, but the one Ava DuVernay cites here on Twitter is one of the best-- reflecting the director herself and the mythic, cosmic story and characters she will be bringing to life in this film.

Ava DuVernay is just coming off of A Wrinkle in Time, which debuted last weekend. While that film failed to ignite the box office or blow away critics, it did show DuVernay's ability to dream big with a fantastical world while handling a $100+ million production. The New Gods is a compelling choice for Ava DuVernay, who was once up for Black Panther and comes from a background with films like Selma. She is clearly interested in continuing in the blockbuster world, and it just took the right comic book project for her to sign on.

The director recently spoke about not being interested in directing a Star Wars film, so it is interesting to see her signing up for a different type of space opera. The New Gods bears some strong parallels to George Lucas' saga, and possibly influenced him when he was making the original trilogy.

The initial reports of Ava DuVernay coming aboard The New Gods mention that this film may or may not be a part of the DCEU. So it sounds like this mythic tale might give Ava DuVernay the freedom that she might not have enjoyed on Star Wars. At the same time it could still wind up being connected, and basically act as a gateway to DC's cosmic characters. Much like Thanos loomed in the background of Guardians of the Galaxy, so too can Darkseid play a role in The New Gods, and be built up before a connection is finally made and he becomes the true big bad in the DCEU.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend to see all the latest on Ava DuVernay's big screen adaptation of The New Gods and check out our guide to see all of the upcoming DC Movies.

Over the last few years, Ava DuVernay has become a powerhouse director in Hollywood. After delivering Selma in 2015, she followed up with the visually-stimulating A Wrinkle in Time, which opened in theaters last week. DuVernay is also keeping busy with the Queen Sugar TV series, but it's just been announced what her next cinematic project will be: a New Gods movie for Warner Bros and DC.

According to Deadline, Ava DuVernay has signed a deal to helm The New Gods, based off the mythos created by Jack Kirby. A search is now underway to find a screenwriter to pen the movie, and like A Wrinkle in Time, DuVernay will be working with a budget that exceeds $100 million. Last December, DuVernay revealed that her favorite superhero was Big Barda, a longtime member of the New Gods lineup. This makes DuVernay the second woman to direct a DC movie, following behind Patty Jenkins, who helmed Wonder Woman and is returning for Wonder Woman 2. While Deadline claims that The New Gods has "no connection to the other DC worlds being exploited for film right now by Warner Bros," Variety's article states that the movie will be part of the DC Extended Universe.

Some of you may know Jack Kirby for his work over at Marvel Comics, but the man also made great contributions at DC Comics, the New Gods (a.k.a. the Fourth World) chief among them. First appearing in 1971, the New Gods stories primarily follow the conflict between the inhabitants of the idyllic New Genesis, led by Highfather, and the hellish Apokolips, led by Darkseid. The heroic characters in this corner of the DC universe include Mister Miracle, Big Barda, Orion and Lightly, while Darkseid's minions include Steppenwolf, Desaad, Kalibak, Granny Goodness and the Female Furies. While many of their early stories were self-contained, the New Gods have gone on to be major players in the wider DC universe, with Darkseid becoming one of DC's greatest overarching antagonists. Outside of the comics, the New Gods have appeared in the DC animated universe, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Smallville and Young Justice.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice laid the groundwork for the New Gods mythos when it showed Parademons and a giant Omega symbol in Bruce Wayne's Knightmare, and Justice League cracked that door open a little more by having Steppenwolf lead a Parademon army to invade Earth to collect the three Mother Boxes. If The New Gods movie is connected to the DCEU, then I suspect it will either follow up on the aftermath of Justice League or be a prequel set long before the current age of heroes. The latter approach would also work just fine if this movie truly unconnected from the DCEU, like Todd Phillips' Joker movie. In any case, this is another big score for Ava DuVernay, and will definitely help strengthen her blockbuster resume if/when it gets off the ground.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more news about The New Gods, and look through our DC movies guide to see what other projects are coming up.

Warning: spoilers ahead for A Wrinkle in Time! Read ahead at your own risk!

Adapting any literary story to the screen comes with a distinct set of challenges, and those challenges are compounded by a piece of literature as dense and complicated as A Wrinkle in Time. As a result, a number of changes had to be made to Ava DuVernay's take on the tale, including the omission of the beloved Aunt Beast scene from Madeleine L'Engle's original text. Discussing Aunt Beast with CinemaBlend at the film's recent press junket, screenwriter Jennifer Lee admitted that the scene actually was in the movie for quite a while until they decided that the celestial being removed agency from the arc of Meg Murry (Storm Reid). Lee explained:

So, it sounds like there was a version of the A Wrinkle in Time film adaptation that actually included the bizarre Aunt Beast scene, in which the alien being nourishes Meg and gives her the strength to rescue Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe). But the film places an even more profound emphasis on the fact that this is Meg's journey, and for the story to work, everyone involved in the movie felt that it was best to remove that source of comfort and force Meg into a situation in which she had to find the strength to win on her own.

It is worth mentioning that the Aunt Beast scene's omission doesn't inherently mean that Aunt Beast doesn't get a shout-out in the movie. During the sequence in which the ensemble travels to the home of The Happy Medium (Zach Galifianakis), the vision that Meg sees of the cosmos offers up a brief glimpse at Aunt Beast on Ixchel. She's still in the movie, but her relevance to the core narrative is significantly reduced.

Ava DuVernay's A Wrinkle in Time is currently in theaters. If you are looking for more information about the film, then check out CinemaBlend's full review of the movie, as well as our comprehensive review roundup, to see what critics have to say about it. As for the rest of this year, check out our movie premiere guide to see what other films are coming this year!

It's an exciting time to be a Star Wars fan. With Disney now in charge of the property, there is a ton of content being produced, greatly expanding the galaxy far, far away in the process. Between the current trilogy, standalone films, and Rian Johnson's mysterious new trilogy, we should expect plenty of Star Wars blockbusters in the coming years. As such, the House of Mouse needs to hire some A-list directors to work on the upcoming films. With Ava DuVernay making history with her work on Disney's A Wrinkle in Time, she seemed like a great choice to helm an upcoming galactic adventure. Unfortunately, she doesn't seem very interested, recently tweeting out,

Well, that tweet certainly puts an end to all the speculation. It doesn't seem like Ava DuVernay has an interest in traveling across the galaxies in an epic space opera. And while she might be a great choice to bring some much needed diversity to the franchise, it's just not the right project for the Selma director.

With so many Star Wars projects being developed by Disney, there is an opportunity to hire some truly fantastic talent both behind and in front of the camera. Due to the property's massive appeal and reach, many have been calling for more inclusion in Star Wars flicks. The first two trilogies were obviously all directed by the visionary George Lucas, but now the iconic characters and settings can now be explored through new eyes. Thus far those have all been exclusively white men, leading to a conversation around proper inclusion and diversity within the Star Wars universe.

Ava DuVernay has already proven herself as a groundbreaker in the world of film production. Her successes have almost all been firsts for the industry. It all seemed to start with her Sundance win for 2012's Middle of Nowhere, where she was the first African-American woman to win. With Selma she became the first black woman to get nominated for both the Golden Globe and Oscar for directing. A Wrinkle in Time marks the biggest budget movie directed by a black woman, continuing her streak of breaking down barriers with her work. It's likely because of this inspiring narrative that DuVernay has been at the top of some cinephiles' lists to helm a Star Wars movie.

All eyes are currently on Ava DuVernay, a her highly anticipated adaptation of A Winkle in Time arrives in theaters. Reviews have been mixed thus far, but it still has the potential to make a ton of money at the box office. It's currently unclear exactly what DuVernay will work on next, but it's certainly not going to be a Star Wars movie.

A Wrinkle in Time is in theaters March 9th. Int he meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Adapting any piece of literature into a film almost always represents a daunting challenge, and that challenge becomes even more pronounced when the literature receiving the adaptation is as dense as Madeleine L'engle's A Wrinkle in Time. In fact, it sounds like bringing the book to the silver screen was no easy feat, as A Wrinkle in Time director Ava DuVernay recently opened up to CinemaBlend and explained how fan expectations and the sheer scope of the material made the film a formidable challenge. DuVernay explained:

While it's not a particularly long book, A Wrinkle in Time is a very dense piece of literature that structurally isn't very similar to a movie. As a result, Ava DuVernay and her team had to be very careful about what to keep and what to keep out and always remain mindful of fan expectations. Because of this, DuVernay mostly had to keep quiet on social media when asked about story elements that had been maintained in the film -- only chiming in when she could definitively confirm something, like the iconic "wild nights" line uttered by Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon) in the Murry household. Little moments like that still exist, but the movie itself doesn't feel exactly like the book.

Another thing worth highlighting is Ava DuVernay's admission of her lack of experience in the fantasy genre as a whole. She has yet to truly pigeonhole herself in one specific style of film throughout her tenure as a director, having gained notoriety with the historical drama, Selma, but then quickly jumping to the documentary world for 13th. She's not only the first black woman to helm a major film with a budget exceeding $100 million, but she's also a newcomer to the genre itself, which creates its own layer of challenge.

Want to hear it straight from Ava DuVernay herself? Then check out a clip from CinemaBlend's interview with the filmmaker, below!

Audiences will get a chance to see what Ava DuVernay opted to keep and omit from her take on A Wrinkle in Time when the film premieres in theaters on March 9. If you want to learn more about this adaptation of the classic book, then check out our full review and our review roundup to see what critics are saying about the sci-fi adventure!

Coming off the success of Black Panther from the folks over at Marvel Studios, Disney is gearing up for its next big release, A Wrinkle in Time. The first theatrical adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's 1962 novel was helmed by Selma director Ava DuVernay, and it's clear from the trailers that DuVernay's vision of A Wrinkle in Time is something visually spectacular. While the average moviegoer still has another week to go before they can check out A Wrinkle in Time, DuVernay recently stopped by her hometown of Compton to hold the first public screening for the movie, as you'll see in the video below.

While early movie screenings are typically held at a traditional movie theater, but since there aren't any around in Compton, Ava DuVernay and Disney were able to set up the special A Wrinkle in Time screening at a community center. While I don't have an exact seat count, it looks like a lot more people were able to watch the movie then if this had been held at a traditional cinematic setting. And thankfully, as DuVernay noted in her Twitter post, both the picture and sound quality came out top notch, and judging by the audience reaction, it's safe to say this was a successful event.

A Wrinkle in Time has already held early screenings for the press, celebrities and other lucky individuals, but it was particularly cool that Ava DuVernay decided to hold this special screening in Compton, and Disney was willing to oblige. Now that DuVernay is a successfully Hollywood director, she can use her status to help give back to her community, which is undoubtedly appreciated since it sounds like many of the people in that auditorium might not have been able to see A Wrinkle in Time had that screening not been held. This is also reminds me of the numerous Black Panther screenings that have been organized over the last few weeks for underprivileged youth, which included one put together by T'Challa himself, Chadwick Boseman.

Like the original book, A Wrinkle in Time follows a young girl named Meg Murry who goes on a journey with her younger brother and new friend to rescue her father from imprisonment on a far-off planet, along the way being aided by the three immortal women know as Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit and Mrs. Who. The main cast consists of Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Levi Miller, Deric McCabe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Zach Galifianakis and Michael Peña.

A Wrinkle in Time opens in theaters on March 9. For those wanting to plan the rest of their moviegoing calendar accordingly, you can find out what's coming our later this year by browsing through our 2018 release schedule.

Ava Duvernay has become the first African-American female director to helm a movie with a budget over $100 million. How did she end up as the one to set such as a record? It turns out, it wasn't that hard for her at all. Why not? Because she never had to sell the idea to Disney, Disney sold it to her. Duvarney recently revealed that Disney came to her with the idea to have her direct A Wrinkle in Time. It appears recruiting her was part of a larger plan at Disney to bring in more diverse filmmakers. According to Duvernay...

While the world of film directing has been overwhelmingly white and male, it seems that Disney had made a decision on their own to change that with at least some of their projects. It's understandable why Disney might want to bring in an African-American director to direct Black Panther and while Ava Duvernay tells Collider she's not entirely sure why Disney wanted her specifically to direct A Wrinkle in Time, she does suggest that the fact that the lead character of the book is female, might have meant they were looking for a female director. With Niki Caro on board to direct Disney live-action Mulan remake, the idea certainly makes sense.

As far as why Ava Duvarney herself was chosen, the director credits a Disney executive named Tendo Nagenda who apparently saw Duvernay's movie Selma and saw something in that he thought would work for A Wrinkle in Time. From there, getting the job was apparently quite easy, as Duvernay knew many of the executives in her initial meeting with Disney, which meant she didn't need to sell herself, as everybody already knew what she could do.

Thor: Ragnarok had the biggest box office success of any film in the franchise when it opened last year and last weekend Black Panther had one of the biggest openings in movie history. Disney's decision to be inclusive in its directorial decisions is clearly working so far. In a couple of weeks, we'll get to see Ava Duvernay's A Wrinkle in Time, which, considering how popular the source material is, could be absolutely massive.

Next month, a classic piece of literature will come to life when Ava DuVernay's A Wrinkle in Time debuts in theaters. The film looks like a proper adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's story, but one noticeable difference that has been made to the original story is the casting of a far more diver ensemble of actors to play these classic characters. So why the change? The Selma director addressed the diversity of A Wrinkle in Time's cast to CinemaBlend and other outlets during a visit to the set last year and explained that the casting represents the real diversity that exists in our own world, saying:

If you have read the book, then you already know that the original version of A Wrinkle in Time doesn't focus excessively on the concept of diversity. In the original text and the previous movie, Meg Murry was a white girl with red hair, but Ava DuVernay made a point to cast African-American actress Storm Reid in the role. Beyond that, the parts of Mrs. Which and Mrs. Who will be played by Oprah Winfrey and Mindy Kaling, respectively, and the role of Red will be performed by Ant-Man's Michael Pena. The intention was not to force diversity for the sake of diversity, but to create an ensemble that felt indicative of the real diversity that exists in the world.

Building off of those ideas, Ava DuVernay explained later in the set visit that she ultimately hopes that a movie like A Wrinkle in Time can move the bar forward and set the standard for how we view inclusivity in our films, allowing us to treat it like the norm instead of as a novelty. DuVernay continued:

Of course, it's worth mentioning that diversity can also serve as a savvy business decision for a movie like this. Data has surfaced in the last few years suggesting that diverse ensembles of performers can translate to quantifiable improvements in box office performance overseas, and Marvel's Black Panther has definitively proven that there's an appetite for diverse and representative stories at the domestic box office as well. A Wrinkle in Time is just the next step towards making that "the new normal."

If you are looking for a glimpse at the diversity and inclusivity in A Wrinkle in Time, then look no further than the film's first trailer -- which you can check out below.

Ava DuVernay's A Wrinkle in Time will debut in theaters next month on March 9. Tickets for the film are already on sale, so pick yours up now and let us know what you're most excited to see in the upcoming sci-fi adventure in the comments below!

Many of us likely have a specific idea in our heads when we think of a Disney movie. The idea quickly conjures images of bright and cheerful stories in the vein of The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast. However, that's not what Ava DuVernay's A Wrinkle in Time will feel like when it debuts. In fact, during a visit to the set of the film last year, DuVernay opened up to CinemaBlend and other outlets and explained that this take on A Wrinkle in Time would embrace the darker edges of Madeleine L'Engle's source material, which will make it feel distinct from other films in the Disney canon. DuVernay explained:

Even though A Wrinkle in Time is being released under the Disney banner, it appears that it won't take the form of a story aimed squarely at children. The original novel written by Madeleine L'Engle has long been hailed as a controversial piece of literature, and the film will embrace those ideas with a "quirkier, darker edge" than we might be used to seeing from other Disney movies. It's a book that plays on some potentially disturbing themes about evil and free will, as well as essential notions about the nature of the universe, and the film version of the tale apparently won't shy away from those ideas.

However, it's not just the obvious differences that set A Wrinkle in Time apart from other Disney movies. Ava DuVernay continued in her description of the story and explained that much of the appeal in a story like A Wrinkle in Time is the fact that so much of it is open for interpretation, which Disney allowed her to embrace in the creation of the film. DuVernay continued:

She's not wrong in that assessment. As Ava DuVernay laid out in those comments, a story like A Wrinkle in Time comes steeped in subjective subtext, which means that it's easy to interpret the narrative and aesthetic in a variety of different ways. Some view it as a religious allegory, while others see it in the purest of science fiction terms, and that naturally lends A Wrinkle in Time to various visual styles. As a result, it sounds like the folks at Disney embraced that idea and allowed the Selma director to go all in on her vision of a dark, bold, and delightfully weird version of the classic story, and our early glimpses at that style promise something that's nothing if not visually awesome.

If you are looking for a closer look at Ava DuVernay's work on A Wrinkle in Time, then check out a trailer for the film, below!

Tickets for Ava DuVernay's A Wrinkle in Time will go on sale tomorrow (February 22), and the film itself will debut in theaters next month on March 9!

Ava DuVernay is set to bring a classic literary tale to life in March when the Selma director's take on A Wrinkle in Time finally hits the big screen. The book is a must-read for many children, but it seems that Oscar-nominee Oprah Winfrey had never actually read it before her casting as Mrs. Which. That said, she was still able to find a way to connect with the narrative by drawing from another beloved tale. In fact, during a visit to the set of A Wrinkle in Time last year, Oprah opened up about the film's story and explained the various parallels that she sees it share with The Wizard of Oz, saying:

Oprah Winfrey never read A Wrinkle in Time as a child, but it's obvious that she was able to make some thematic and narrative connections between this story and another classic childhood story. Between the ideas of young female heroes (whether it's Meg Murry or Dorothy), witches, and an adventure to a mystical realm, there are numerous elements from A Wrinkle in Time that seem to parallel The Wizard of Oz's classic story. Moreover, both have a timeless sensibility to their narratives in the sense that, while both definitely appeal to children, neither can be wholly classified as just a children's film and both will likely endure for generations to come.

Of course, despite the similarities between A Wrinkle in Time and The Wizard of Oz, it's still worth mentioning that numerous elements of Ava DuVernay's story will help it stand on its own. One such quality is the emphasis on sci-fi over fantasy (or, "spaced-out Oz," as Oprah called it), as A Wrinkle in Time deals heavily in the concept of interdimensional travel and the nature of the cosmos. Beyond that, during the same visit to the set last year, Ava DuVernay herself opened up and emphasized the fact that A Wrinkle in Time will lean heavily into the darker elements from the book and feel distinct from other films produced under the Disney banner -- though it's also worth mentioning that Oz does play to similar, horror-esque story elements.

For those of you who are looking for a closer look at A Wrinkle in Time, make sure to check out a trailer for the upcoming film, below!

Tickets for Ava DuVernay's A Wrinkle in Time will go on sale tomorrow (February 22), and make sure to watch out for the sci-fi adventure when it debuts in theaters next month on March 9!

We've been in the middle of a bunch of movie remakes lately, so it shouldn't be surprising that someone out there might be interested in remaking a classic like Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl's popular and enduring 1964 children's novel. We've already gotten two movies based on the book, but recently Selma director Ava DuVernay revealed that she would be happy to make another big screen version of the popular book.

The news comes just a few days after Roald Dahl's widow Liccy Dahl revealed the prominent author originally had different plans for the book. When he was first putting together Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, he had written Charlie Bucket as a young black character. The publishing world apparently wasn't ready for that at the time, and Liccy Dahl told BBC Radio said Dahl's agent didn't feel like the character would be good for selling books.

After the news about Willy Wonka having originally been conceived as a black character broke, people took to social media to talk dream casting for a potential movie version of the project. Hopping into one of those feeds on Twitter, Ava DuVernay revealed that she would be willing to take on the project, should a studio become interested.

Considering Ava DuVernay's next project is a diverse version of Madeline L'Engle's famous novel A Wrinkle in Time, DuVernay would be a director with the experience to take a well-known project and make it a whole lot more multifaceted. Of course, there's no official Chocolate Factory remake in development right now, so this isn't something we expect to see come together tomorrow. Plus, A Wrinkle in Time is in post-production for a March 9, 2018 release, so the director should be fairly busy up until then.

A little less than a year ago, we did learn that Warner Bros. has been interested in putting together a prequel to the original two films that would be more of an origin story. If it moves forward, it would look into Willy Wonka and what has been described as his "early adventures." Ryan Gosling has reportedly shown interest in the part, but that project hasn't moved forward yet.

As for whether or not we need another remake, that is a giant question mark. The 1971 movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is still a classic, largely thanks to Gene Wilder's popular Willy Wonka portrayal, as well as other lively characters brought to life on the big screen. A remake was already attempted back in 2005, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. While that movie was profitable at the box office, it hasn't had the longevity the original version has had. Perhaps a version with a more diverse cast would change that.

We'll let you know if a diverse version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory comes together. In the meantime, there are plenty of other remakes, reboots, sequels and more in the works. You can take a look at our list of what's currently coming together.

With shows like Making a Murderer and The Keepers in its library of TV, Netflix has proven that there's an audience for true crime stories. Now, the streaming service has a new project in the works that will follow one of the most controversial cases of crime and punishment in U.S. history. Netflix will tackle the case of the Central Park Five for a limited series to debut in 2019.

Celebrated director Ava DuVernay created the series, and she's also on board as writer and director. The project -- which does not yet have an official name -- will provide a new look at the 1989 case that put five minority teenagers in the spotlight after they were accused of assaulting and raping a jogger in New York's Central Park. The five boys were all convicted of various crimes associated with the brutal assault, and they were imprisoned... until authorities learned that they had been wrongly convicted of the rape years later. The show will follow the events from the 1989 incident to the 2014 court settlement with the city of New York.

The limited series will run for five episodes, according to Deadline. Each episode will focus on one of the five teenagers who were accused of and then imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. The workings of the criminal justice system and the ways that it failed these young men will be examined. Ava DuVernay should be the perfect person to bring this terrible true story to the small screen in a way that is both illuminating and respectful to those who suffered.

This Central Park Five series will not be the first time that Ava DuVernay works with Netflix. She directed the documentary 13th, which scored an Academy Award nomination. Named for the Thirteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution that freed slaves and prohibited slavery, 13th was a look at race, justice, and mass incarceration. The Central Park Five series obviously won't be a documentary, but if DuVernay can bring the same touch that she brought to 13th, we can count on a project that's worth watching. Given that 13th was such a critical hit that it got an Oscar nod, it's no surprise that Netflix is willing to give her the room to create, write, and direct a series.

Interestingly, Ava DuVernay has another project in the works at Netflix in addition to the Central Park Five series. She is attached to direct a currently untitled movie that will star Rihanna and Lupita Nyong'o and premiere at some point in 2018. DuVernay will have plenty to keep her busy at the streaming service for the next couple of years.

The Central Park Five series is still likely a couple of years off, but you can catch Ava DuVernay's 13th streaming on Netflix now. Our 2017 Netflix premiere schedule can show your other streaming options, and our summer TV guide can point you in the right direction for broadcast television.

Netflix just keeps on giving. The subscription streaming service has beenbusy banging out original content for the past several years now, and securing rights for even more content. This week, Cannes is the place to buy plenty of new projects, and after negotiating, Netflix just landed a big one. The subscription streaming service will be the home of a currently untitled movie starring Rihanna and Lupita Nyong'o. It's a viral dream come true.

The new movie has more heavy hitters than that, too. Issa Rae, of the HBO comedy Insecure is the writer on the project. Ava Duvernay, who directed Selma and is also in charge of a new project over at Netflix called 13th, is directing the Rihanna and Lupita Nyong'o starrer. According to EW, the new movie will be coming sometime in 2018; in addition Rae is already working on the script.

If you spend way too much time on the Internet, you may already know about an Internet sensation the briefly came into our lives after Rihanna and Lupita Nyong'o were seen together at a fashion show in 2014. Visiting the Miu Miu show, the two looked like characters in a buddy movie, and people pointed it out.

At the time, people were pitching a heist movie, but it's unclear what the actual premise of this project will be. In fact, it's only coming together because the four ladies started talking about the project on Twitter and people at it up.

Rihanna might seem the odd lady out on this list, as the singer hasn't really been known much for her acting, but she has taken on several roles over the years, popping up in Battleship and Annie on the big screen. More recently, the "Diamonds" singer joined the cast of Bates Motel playing iconic character Marion Crane. That resume pales in comparison to Lupita Nyong'o, who has already won her fist Oscar. Still, we expect this to work out fabulously and we'll bring you all the details as it does.

For now, take a look at what Netflix has coming up with our full premiere schedule.

Since making its debut at the New York Film Festival in September 2016, Ava DuVernay's hard-hitting documentary 13th has made headlines, and secured awards, for its unflinching look at the state of race relations on our country. By interviewing civil rights leaders, politicians and social justice warriors, the Selma director traces the roots of America's racial history -- and our nation's ongoing racial divide -- while shining a necessary spotlight on the leaders who continue to close gaps between different groups in the U.S. And now, to help continue educating young minds on the content of 13th, Netflix is granting the film permission to hold educational screenings so that groups can continue to spread the film's message. To explain why, Netflix VP of Original Documentary Programming Lisa Nishimura stated:

Here's where things, normally, would get dicey, from a legal perspective. Screening 13th from your Netflix account for a group in public likely would be committing copyright infringement against the distributors. People are not allowed to publicly perform copyrighted materials without permission of the owner. What Netflix is doing, essentially, if granting that permission, likely in accordance with an agreement made with Kandoo Films, the production company. But seeing as how Netflix is the distributor of 13th, an original composition commissioned by the streaming service, this is allowed... so long as the following stipulations are followed, per Netflix's Web site:

Ava DuVernay's 13th has acquired numerous awards since screening, including Best Documentary from the Critics' Choice Documentary Awards, Best Documentary at the Satellite Awards, and Best Documentary from the British Academy Film Awards. It has been nominated in the Documentary category for the Academy Awards, which will be handed out on Sunday, Feb. 26. To see the film's trailer, click to the next page. Hopefully it will inspire educators to share DuVernay's doc with students in a nearby school soon.

Oprah Winfrey has been one of the biggest names on the small screen for more than 30 years. The Oprah Winfrey Show came to an end back in 2011, but the famous talk show host hasn't really slowed down since. Now she's heading to Netflix for a presentation that couldn't be more timely. Winfrey will interview director Ava DuVernay in a special at the subscription streaming service that will delve into DuVernay's latest project 13th. The special will mark the first time Oprah Winfrey has worked with Netflix in this sort of capacity.

The interview will run for 30 minutes and will feature Oprah Winfrey hosting a frank and informative discussion with Ava DuVernay about the filmmaking process that led to the production of the Netflix documentary 13th. The special will be called 13TH: A Conversation with Oprah Winfrey & Ava DuVernay and become available to subscribers in the U.S. on January 26. 13TH: A Conversation with Oprah Winfrey & Ava DuVernay will also tackle national and international reactions to 13th, the current conditions surrounding race relations in the U.S., and more. The later Netflix release has meant that folks who would not have been able to catch 13th in a theater have had the chance to watch the documentary for themselves.

Ava DuVernay is currently in the spotlight due to 13th, which debuted on Netflix in October 2016. 13th is a documentary that examines the plight of African Americans throughout American history, beginning at the end of the Civil War and chronicling developments all the way to present day. The project includes everything ranging from archival footage of the Civil Rights era to clips of the Black Lives Matter movement. 13th is named for the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that outlawed the practice of slavery. The documentary just scored an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature.

That said, it's somewhat surprising that Oprah Winfrey will host the interview for Netflix. Winfrey has her own television network, and it would have made sense if OWN - that is, the Oprah Winfrey Network - was the platform for any interview from Winfrey. Still, given that 13th was a Netflix release, it's fitting that an interview with Ava DuVernay is released on the streaming service, and Winfrey's contribution may attract more viewers than might have tuned in just for Ava DuVernay.

13TH: A Conversation with Oprah Winfrey & Ava DuVernay will debut on Netflix on Thursday, January 26. We'll let you know if Oprah Winfrey continues to get involved with Netflix in the future, which should be interesting. Plus, check out our 2017 Netflix premiere schedule to see what else the streaming service will have to offer in the coming weeks, and take a look at our full list of the 2017 Academy Award nominations to see what other projects are in the running for Oscars this year.

Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy recently made comments that made it sound like there simply weren't enough women directors out there at the right level to handle directing a Star Wars movies. While the task may be tough, it's not impossible. Simply because most women aren't given the chance to direct blockbuster features doesn't mean that there aren't plenty who have shown the skills to handle it.

To be clear, we have no idea if any of these women would want to direct a Star Wars movie if given the chance. Maybe they've been asked and have already turned the job down. But if we were going to look for women who were already accomplished directors and capable of handling big-budget movies, here's where we would look first.

Michelle MacLaren

It used to be that directing television was leaps and bounds away from directing movies. For many shows, that's simply not the case anymore. Series like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones are just as involved as any feature-length movie. Michelle MacLaren has directed episodes of every major TV series you can think of, and in many cases, she's handled several, including the recent finale of Westworld. These are shows with major budgets for both digital and practical effects, that require handling filming in multiple locations with numerous characters. If she can handle directing back to back episodes of Game of Thrones, she can make a movie.

S.J. Clarkson

While Marvel has received a lot of credit for their cinematic universe on the big screen, their TV efforts on Netflix have received nearly universal acclaim. S.J. Clarkson was the director tasked with setting the tone of Jessica Jones when she was put in charge of the first two episodes. Marvel apparently thought she did such a good job that she's been brought back to do the same thing with The Defenders. She can take existing characters within a universe and put her own spin on them, while making a spectacular show that gets viewed like a movie anyway.

Rachel Talalay

Just like a TV season can open like a movie, it can also close like one. The BBC has brought Rachel Talalay in to help close out two consecutive seasons of Doctor Who by doing back-to-back episodes both times. She'll also be directing an episode of Sherlock next season, and those are essentially movies. Add to that the fact that she directed several episodes of the CW's various superhero shows and she clearly has an eye for the material like Star Wars. Plus she directed Tank Girl, which is both awesome and had a budget that would be equal to $40 million today. That's no small change.

Mimi Leder

While seeing women direct major summer movies is unusual, it has happened. Mimi Leder directed both Deep Impact and the George Clooney-led action film The Peacemaker in the mid-1990s. While Deep Impact may have been the more cerebral of the "asteroid hitting earth" movies, when compared to Michael Bay's Armageddon, it wasn't entirely without its own blockbuster elements. While Leder has been focused more on TV in recent years, we wouldn't be averse to see her return to the big screen and bring that intelligence to the galaxy far, far, away.

Kathryn Bigelow

Kathryn Bigelow may have never done a big special effects blockbuster like her ex-husband, James Cameron. She doesn't need to do so to have the credibility. She's won an Oscar for directing, nothing else need be said. Bigelow is a great director who has made great movies and we have no doubt that if she ever wanted to make a summer blockbuster, she could do it. The only difficulty here might be convincing her to do it, but with the variety of different kinds of Star Wars movies we may see in the future, there's a chance something could come along that might interest her.

Patty Jenkins

The next best thing to winning an Oscar for directing is directing somebody else to one. Patty Jenkins did that when she directed her first motion picture, Monster, starring Charlize Theron. That was more than 10 years ago, however. Today, Jenkins has exactly the sort of resume that Lucasfilm must be looking for. She's directed a big budget comic book movie, Wonder Woman, that will be out next year. Even if it doesn't live up to the hype, it will likely propel Jenkins into the top tier of directors. At least, it should. She's got to be on the Lucasfilm radar at this point.

Gwyneth Horder-Payton

If you are looking for a new job, it helps to have connections within the organization. Maybe that will cause Disney to give Gwyneth Horder-Payton a look. She directed several episodes of Once Upon A Time for ABC. However, she's also directed multiple episodes of The Walking Dead and Sons of Anarchy. She's also been able to show that she's capable of working over the long haul, as the first assistant director on over 30 episodes of The Shield. The dues have certainly been paid, and a certain point you have to give a person a chance to prove they can succeed.

Ava DuVernay

Ava DuVernay is, we suppose, the poster child for exactly what Kathleen Kennedy says she's looking for. Selma was DuVernay's first major motion picture after working in television, but she knocked it out of the park. It was nominated for numerous awards and won several of them. Now, Ava DuVernay will be the first woman of color to direct a movie with a budget over $100 million, Disney's A Wrinkle in Time. Will this film then act as the stepping stone to even bigger projects? We'd certainly love to see it, and we're guessing that if DuVernay wants a _Star Wars _ move after her current project, she can probably get one.

Jennifer Lee

One of the reasons that Kathleen Kennedy says that finding directors is hard is because Star Wars films are these massive undertakings with lots of moving parts that need to be managed. So is every animated feature ever made, so why not look to the woman who helped direct the most successful one ever? Frozen had a budget of $150 million and it's one of the top 10 highest grossing movies ever made. Jennifer Lee was the first woman to helm one of Disney's animated features. If she ever wants to make the jump to live action, there's no reason to believe she can't do just as well.

Let me get straight to the point: 13th is a stirring, impassioned, and powerful piece of filmmaking that needs to be seen by as many people as possible so that it can help individuals realize and understand the tragedy, trauma and the despicable evolution of racism that has befallen the black community over the last 150 years. So much so that it is easily one of the most important films of 2016.

Considering its content, 13th could easily boil over with rage, and suffer as a result. But, instead, director Ava DuVernay mixes heartbreaking and powerful archival footage with compelling, informative interviews to create a measured and vital documentary that charts how African Americans have been systematically mistreated and abused by political institutions since the end of the Civil War.

Don't get me wrong, 13th's energy and vigor is infused with an anger and frustration about how African-Americans have been treated throughout the history of the United States Of America. But Ava DuVernay is too intelligent and smart a filmmaker to let this rightful fury over this systematic injustice overwhelm her work.

13th charts the plight of African Americans from the end of the American Civil War, which is when the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution (which inspires the film's title) was made, all the way to the current day. I mean very current day, as there is a segment of the film that even mixes archival footage from the Civil Rights movement of racists attacking stoic black individuals with the words and rhetoric of a certain Presidential candidate, as well as sequences about Black Lives Matter and how social media has helped raise awareness.

DuVernay is somehow able to condense 150 years of American history into a concise, intimate presentation of how racial inequality has evolved and become more subtle in this country, and is still on going to this very second. This includes analyzing how D.W. Griffith's The Birth Of A Nation popularized racial bigotry through its use of black characters, to how the Civil Rights Movement finally brought an end to the Jim Crow laws that meant racial segregation was still enforced in the USA until 1965.

Yet, even after the Civil Rights Act was signed into law in 1964 and outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, the political system, as well as the media, were able to slyly alter their rhetoric that still enforced racial barriers across the USA. DuVernay is un-wielding in her attacks on how they have failed generations. She shows how Richard Nixon's promise to bring law and order to the country focused on imprisoning many members of the black community as "crime came to stand in for race", and DuVernay coldly but emphatically attacks Ronald Reagan's "War on Drugs" as well as noting how Bill Clinton's militarization of the police and introduction of mandatory minimums only exacerbated the problem.

Ava DuVernay doesn't glitz up the film, instead allowing the talking heads to present us with the facts and figures that will leave you shocked and depressed. Sure, the information can get heavy at times, leading to moments when your interest will wane. But its effective use of still photography, stats, and the testimonies from a wide-range of compelling individuals that have been personally effected and changed by these issues means that 13th always feels vital, important, and an integral cog on the vehicle for change.

13th was the opening film of the 54th New York Film Festival. But you don't have to wait too long to see it, as it will be released on Netflix on October 7. Rather than being peeved that 13th won't be in cinemas, Ava DuVernay is instead ecstatic that it will be shown on Netflix. You can find out why by clicking onto the next page.

After the screening of 13th at the 2016 New York Film Festival I was lucky enough to see Ava DuVernay being interviewed by Kent Jones. During their half-hour discussion, DuVernay, who previously directed Selma, spoke about why she believes the immediacy of showing 13th on Netflix is perfectly suited to the film, especially since it will bring it to audiences that wouldn't likely see it. DuVernay explained:

13th is just the latest impressive documentary to have come from Netflix over the last few months, with What Happened, Miss Simon, Making A Murderer, and Amanda Knox all receiving positive reviews and capturing the imagination and attention of a huge audience.

Especially in the build-up to the upcoming Presidential election, 13th should follow in these footsteps. We'll be able to see if it can do just when it's released on October 7th.

It's no secret that Hollywood blockbusters tend to hire directors of a certain demographic. If you randomly pick any of the tentpole movies from summer 2016, there's a very good chance that you'll pick a project helmed by a white man. The industry is making strides to changing that, however, as evidenced by the fact that filmmaker Ava Duvernay has broken through an important glass ceiling. She will be the first woman of color to helm a Hollywood film with a budget over $100 million thanks to her job making the live-action adaptation of A Wrinkle In Time.

We have been hearing reports about an adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's novel for years and years now, but the project made a huge move forward earlier this year when Ava DuVernay came on board to direct. Late last month Oprah Winfrey came on-board to produce, and now the Los Angeles Times has confirmed the numbers regarding the project's working budget and the director's milestone. The filmmaker responded to the report on Twitter, both recognizing the great filmmakers who have come before her, and the studio that will be supporting and helping her make the new movie:

As The LA Times points out, it's notable that Ava Duvernay is the first woman of color to take the helm of a six-digit Hollywood production, but it's also frankly still notable whenever any woman (regardless of race) or a minority (regardless of gender) get such a gig. Recent examples include Patty Jenkins taking the helm of the upcoming Wonder Woman movie, and Ryan Coogler making the new Black Panther film... but field of directors for big blockbusters is still dominated by white men. The fact that it's taken this long for a woman of color to get a position like this is pure proof of that.

First published in 1963, A Wrinkle In Time tells the story of a young girl named Meg Murry, who is the daughter of a genius government scientist who winds up going missing while working on a scientific concept known as the tesseract. With the assistance of three supernatural beings known as the Mrs. W's - Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which - Meg and her young brother Charles go on an interstellar journey through space and time searching for their father. Jennifer Lee, who is best known for her work on the Disney animated hit Frozen, is penning the screenplay, and Oprah Winfrey is not only attached to the project as a producer, but she is also going to be playing Mrs. Which.

Hopefully Ava DuVernay will be the first of many women of color to start taking on Hollywood blockbusters with budgets over $100 million, as the industry starts to become more inclusive and offer opportunities for diverse voices. After her work on Selma, we definitely couldn't be more excited to see DuVernay's work on A Wrinkle In Time.

This past December, Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong'o got to take up the out of this world role of Maz Kanata, an enigmatic ally of the light side in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. While that role was a product of motion capture, Nyong'o injected so much soul and eccentricity into her performance that you could believe she was an ancient alien. Which is a good thing, considering she might be playing someone not of this Earth in Ava DuVernay's Intelligent Life.

The newly talked about project boasts a who's who of talent, as the item from The Hollywood Reporter would have us believe. The script was penned by the Jurassic World team of Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly, as it was adapted from a script they'd previously completed entitled The Ambassador. Meanwhile, DuVernay's name has found itself attached as a possible directorial candidate, with A Wrinkle In Time standing to be the only competition for her attention. Basic details of the plot have Lupita Nyong'o potentially playing an alien masquerading as a human, whose wiles have worked their charm on the U.N. appointed representative of Humanity who serves as our line of first contact.

With such a high concept retelling of a story as old as time, Intelligent Life is shaping up to be quite the potential sci-fi blockbuster. The fact that Lupita Nyong'o is looking to make another venture into genre territory, things already sound interesting enough. But with Ava DuVernay looking to possibly put her stamp on the project, the possibilities could go through the roof. Already, a dream pairing of Nyong'o and DuVernay's leading man from Selma, David Oyelowo, is starting to sound like a perfect storm of talent that could elevate the project from simple genre fair into a possible awards contender.

Sadly, no candidates have been named for Intelligent Life's male lead, so our speculation remains just that for the time being. Regardless of whomever they cast to act opposite Lupita Nyong'o, it's without a doubt that she'll make the situation work to her advantage. Thinking back on her heart wrenching performance in Steve McQueen's 12 Years A Slave, it's hard to imagine a scenario that she wouldn't be able to wring the pathos out of. If she could endure the trials of slavery on the big screen, then surely any other prospect is easy as pie.

At the very least, we're hoping that Ava DuVernay's attachment to Intelligent Life becomes a full blown commitment, and that Lupita Nyong'o is along for the ride as well. With the lack of diversity in Hollywood becoming a hot button subject, this film could easily do what all good science fiction does, and serve as an interesting lens to examine the pressing social issues of the day. With the production seeking a start date to commence sometime this summer, we'll hopefully hear some news on Nyong'o and/or DuVernay's commitment in the coming months.

Marvel’s Black Panther is still looking for a dynamite director to steer the ship, and that person was almost Ava DuVernay. The acclaimed filmmaker was snubbed for a number of awards, but Selma is still talked about as an important piece of cinema. Though she ultimately passed on Black Panther as her next project, she said the potential to continue this cultural conversation in a new way was appealing and almost led to her taking the job.

DuVernay recently spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about her decision to almost join the Marvel family through Black Panther. She said:

DuVernay went on to describe how widely distributed the Marvel films are all over the world, which is a reach she has never achieved before. However, she said talks eventually dissolved because "everyone’s interested in different things."

There were a couple of factors hindering an immediate yes. For one, directing a Marvel movie is no easy task, as Joss Whedon will tell you. DuVernay told THR that the project would’ve eaten up the next three years of her career, and there are still plenty films she wants to make. Secondly, the final nail in the proverbial coffin came in the creative differences between Marvel and DuVernay. The director describes her films as her children that will live on after her. With all this compromise, she said, "it really wasn’t going to be an Ava DuVernay film."

The creative differences between the superhero studio and their filmmakers have been widely reported. It recently came to the forefront of Ant-Man when Edgar Wright, who originally decided to both write and direct the film, dropped out citing a difference in vision. In stepped Peyton Reed to fill in the gap, but even then some critics could sense this struggle was reflected in the final product. Alan Taylor, who directed Thor: The Dark World, was another vocal member of the anti-Marvel camp. During the press rounds for Terminator Genisys, he said the experience was "particularly wrenching." He described having total freedom while filming, but during post-production the film became something very different. As he said, you don’t make a multi-million dollar movie with someone else’s money without making compromises.

Fortunately, DuVernay realized she wasn’t what Marvel was looking for — and vice versa — early on. With Black Panther marking the first Marvel movie starring a black actor, and the character's first solo movie, the last thing we need is another Ant-Man fiasco.

It looks like we’re going to have to wait a while longer before we see either a woman or a person of color direct one of Marvel’s superhero movies. Selma director Ava DuVernay, who was the rumored frontrunner for the job on the upcoming Black Panther, has passed on the chance to helm a comic book movie.

Talking to Essence, DuVernay did confirm that she met with Marvel about leading the big screen adaptation of the exploits of the hero king of the fictional African nation Wakanda, but decided not to take the gig. After using the Fourth of July to "declare her independence" from this rumor, she said:

It sounds like the discussions got fairly far along. DuVernay didn’t just meet with Marvel brass, she actually sat down with the writers to explore the possibility, and even went so far as to meet Chadwick Boseman (Get on Up, 42), who is set to lead Black Panther. DuVernay continued:

Though she could have made a really cool Black Panther, it’s hard to fault her logic in this situation. Studios and filmmakers clash and split all of the time over the ubiquitous "creative differences." If you know right out of the gate that you are likely to wind up in that situation, perhaps it is better for everyone involved to nip it in the bud before it even has time to get out of hand and for bad feelings to develop. Marvel is pretty set in their ways, and DuVernay is not one known for compromising her vision, maybe it was just a bad idea.

We don’t know exactly how it will play out in the movies, but Black Panther follows T’Challa (Boseman), the King of Wakanda, a technologically advanced nation in Africa which also happens to have the bulk of the world’s supply of vibranium, the metal Captain America’s shield is made from. With a kind of isolationist stance, Wakanda has largely existed in its own little world to a degree, but it doesn’t look like that is going to last much longer in the MCU. They’re going to have to come out and play with the rest of the world.

Before Black Panther gets his own solo movie, which is still a long way off, not scheduled to open until July 2018, the character will make his big screen debut next year in the superhero-laden Captain America: Civil War. What little we know about his role in that film is that he’ll provide a kind of outsider perspective on the rift that develops between Tony Stark and Steve Rodgers, and he may be hunting the Winter Soldier.

So Black Panther is once again looking for a director. And while it won’t be Ava DuVernay, it doesn't sound like there are any hard feeling either way. Shes says she loves the character and story, and that she will "be first in line to see it."

To this point, there has been a certain uniformity in the director choices that Marvel Studios has made for their feature films. From Jon Favreau to Joss Whedon to James Gunn to Peyton Reed, every single filmmaker behind one of the company's projects to this point has been a white man. In the near future that may change in a big way, however, as Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has gone on record saying that they are looking to have more diversity when it comes to making both their Black Panther and Captain Marvel projects.

With Ant-Man now less than a month away, the executive/producer recently sat down for an extensive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, and it was during this conversation that the subject of diversification in director choices came up. Discussing whether or not there has been a concentrated effort to find a black filmmaker to make Black Panther and a female filmmaker to make Captain Marvel, Feige started by saying that just getting the right person for the job is what's important first and foremost, but then he did express that those two projects in particular have Marvel steering away from white male directors. Acknowledging a "big shift" in both the culture and the industry, Feige explained,

In the interview, Kevin Feige also confirms that we should be hearing about a director for both Captain Marvel and Black Panther before the end of the summer ("Black Panther especially), but he's not exactly giving any hints away in regard to the choices that Marvel is considering for the two gigs. When asked if Selma helmer Ava DuVernay was one of the filmmakers being considered for Black Panther - as has been rumored these past few weeks - Feige said in perfect political fashion,

In addition to potentially being the first Marvel Studio films not directed by white men, Black Panther and Captain Marvel will be the first movies in the continuity to feature non-white male protagonists as well. Unfortunately, we still have a few years before they actually arrive in theaters, with the former set for release on July 6, 2018, and the latter on November 2, 2018. If the director choices are made in the next couple months, that means we should be hearing a lot more about these projects soon, so stay tuned for more details!