Top 5 Reasons Ava DuVernay Is a Great Choice for a Superhero Show
#5: She Might be Able to identify a Bit With Her Protagonist
The comic series Naomi tells the story of an ordinary teenage girl living an ordinary life in Oregon when she discovers that she’s actually a superpowered alien metahuman from a far away planet. Ava DuVernay may not be able to manipulate energy- as far as we know -but she does understand a thing or two about powerful abilities that change a person’s life path. DuVernay started off with an interest in journalism. From there, she went into PR, later founding her own firm in 1999. However, something inside her was calling her in a different direction. Learning as she went, DuVernay would grow her natural talent into a dynamic directorial voice. And she’s been using that voice to tell thought provoking stories ever since.
#4: She Knows Her Way Around a Complex Story
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As a filmmaker, Ava Duvernay has become best known for her thoughtful and evocative examinations of power and justice. She shot to prominence in 2014 with the release of “Selma,” a biopic about Martin Luth King, Jr. and the civil rights march in the titular Alabama town. She followed that success with the Netflix documentary 13th, an essential exploration of race and criminal justice in the United States. And in 2019 she would dive deeper into those themes with the heart wrenching miniseries, “When They See Us.” chronicling the case of the Central Park 5. Not only does she understand how to tackle difficult issues with nuance and truth, but her commitment to shining light on inequality is a perfect fit for any superhero story.
#3: She’s Wakanda-Approved
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With the acclaim from Selma came offers for all kinds of new projects, including one from the mighty House of Mouse itself. They approached DuVernay with an offer to join the MCU as director of the then-in-development “Black Panther.” Though she had never helmed an action movie or a big-budget blockbuster before, it’s easy to understand what Marvel saw in DuVernay. Discussions on the project continued between the director and the studio for a time, but ultimately she turned down the opportunity, citing creative differences in the direction of the story and character. Everything worked out in the end, though. Black Panther would go on to become one of the strongest films in the MCU, and DuVernay would find a better creative fit in another Disney project.
#2: She’s Got a Proven Track Record With Stories of Powerful Women
That project was the 2018 Disney movie “A Wrinkle in Time.” The original Madeleine L’Engle book had long been considered unadaptable. DuVernay was excited by the complexities of its plot, and she was especially drawn to the many forms of female power featured in the narrative. Whether it be protagonist Meg Murray learning to use her formidable intelligence, or the three mysterious cosmic figures of Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Which, the characters offer no shortage of intriguing potential. DuVernay tackled the project with passion, and gained valuable experience with big budget fantasy filmmaking. The film would go on to set records, notably becoming the first movie by an African American female director to break the $100 million mark at the box office.
#1: She’s Already a Big DC Fan
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In a time where Superhero movies are everywhere, most people can say that they love Batman or Wonder Woman. Ava DuVernay is a true DC fan though. The director was originally developing a film adaptation based on the New Gods comics. It’s a property that she has deep love for, even citing the invulnerable warrior Big Barda as her favorite superhero of all time. Unfortunately, it was not to be. However, Warner Brothers clearly knew better than to waste DuVernay’s obvious talent and enthusiasm, and she quickly moved on to developing “Naomi.” With her film pedigree and her deep cut fan cred, it’s clear that we can expect exciting work from Ava DuVernay.
