Ava DuVernay is an interesting choice to direct a New Gods film.
In what came as a huge surprise to comic-book movie lovers around the world, reports revealed that Ava DuVernay, who recently directed A Wrinkle in Time, has been roped in to directe DC’s New Gods movie for Warner Bros. The news is surprising not just because of the choice of director, but the bigger reason is that there was not even a faint rumour that such a movie was even under consideration among Warner Bros executives.
New Gods is considered as one of the best storylines in comics. It was created by comic-book legend Jack Kirby and it was his first work after joining DC. Previously, this writer with this sort of prolific imagination had worked at Marvel alongside Stan Lee, helping create the Marvel universe as we know it. New Gods story was set in a world called Fourth World, when the Old Gods died in Ragnarok. The storyline consists of two planets, one is New Genesis that consists of noble gods, and the other, Apokolips ruled by the God of Evil Darkseid, who is one of the most famous Justice League villains and also inspired Marvel’s Thanos.
Darkseid (right), a New God, was the inspiration behind Marvel’s Thanos (left).
The New Gods storyline is full of some of the most amazing and colourful characters in comics, and has elements of fantasy and science-fiction. It is a good move on Warner Bros and DC’s part to make this film, since it might actually create a solid context to finally introduce Darkseid as the Big Bad to the Justice League instead of doing it in the Marvel way. It is also interesting that they chose Ava DuVernay, whose A Wrinkle in Time received mixed reviews. But Ava has shown interest in Kirby’s New Gods before, and has a fine track record before the Disney fantasy adventure. She directed Selma, which was nominated for Best Picture at Oscars last year. She was the first black female director to get her film nominated in that category.
I personally think DC and Warner Bros are back. Some of the decisions they have recently taken make me an optimist. New Gods movie sounds exciting even in paper, just imagine what it would look like on the screen.