The Disney production will receive $18 million in tax credits with a budget of more than $100 million. The film blog Women and Hollywood confirms that she is the first Black woman to direct a film with a budget this huge.
Ava DuVernay will be the first African American woman to helm a live-action feature with a budget over $100 million. Only two other women have directed live-action films with a budget in this range. Kathryn Bigelow was the first in 2002 with “K-19: The Widowmaker.” Patty Jenkins will be the second with next year’s “Wonder Woman.” And now Ava DuVernay will be the third. And she’ll be the first woman of color.
She went on to direct 2014’s Selma which had a $20 million budget.
DuVernay’s career has flourished, in part, because of versatility. She’s at the head of OWN’s upcoming drama Queen Sugar. Her documentary on mass incarceration will open the New York Film Festival in September.
Oprah will also appear in the film.
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