FilmmakerAva DuVernayhas found her next project following her critically acclaimed Netflix limited seriesWhen They See Us. TheSelmadirector has signed on to helm a pilot for an adaptation of the comic seriesDMZfor Warner Bros.' upcoming streaming service HBO Max. PerVariety, filming on the pilot is due to begin in early 2020, which means this project is taking precedence before DuVernay directs her big DC Comics movieNew Godsat Warner Bros.
DMZtakes place in a near future where an American civil war has left Manhattan a demilitarized zone (hence the title) that is isolated from the rest of the world. The story follows a female medic who is desperately searching for her lost son in the DMZ while contending with gangs, militias, and warlords all the while saving lives along the way. It’s not entirely dissimilar fromJohn Carpenter’sEscape from New Yorkor its surf-fever-fueled sequelEscape from L.A., albeit one assumes this heroine is a bit less anti-hero than Snake Plissken.
Robert Patino is onboard as the show’s executive producer and showrunner, and his writing and producing credits include the first two seasons ofWestworld,Sons of Anarchy, andPrime Suspect. He also wrote the upcomingFear Streetmovies in the works at 20th Century Fox.
DuVernay is currently in the midst of a multi-year deal with Warner Bros. Television, which makes her involvement here not a huge surprise. This is far from her first time working in TV, having helmed the pilot for her OWN seriesQueen Sugarand an episode ofScandal. In between making waves with films like13thandA Wrinkle in Time, DuVernay is also continuing to expand her producing efforts on the small screen.
The filmmaker is attached to helm theNew Godsmovie for Warner Bros., based on the DC comic of the same name, but news ofDMZcertainly confirms that film isn’t on the immediate docket for WB. It’s understandable, though, as the studio just began production onJames Gunn’sThe Suicide Squadand is gearing up to start filmingThe Batmanearly next year after taking a significant breather following the release ofShazam!WB very much seems to betaking it one film at a time now, but I’m hopeful DuVernay cracksNew Godsin a way that makes the movie a priority for the studio sooner rather than later.
Regardless,DMZsounds incredibly cool and I’m eager to see DuVernay’s take on a lawless world.
