Ava DuVernay Just Hit an Important Milestone for Black Female Directors

Trailblazing director Ava DuVernay can add another important “first” to her list. With A Wrinkle In Time, she’s become the first black female director whose movie earned more than $100 million domestically. DuVernay acknowledged the historic achievement on Twitter earlier this week, writing: “Lovely room to be in. But can’t wait for more sisters to be…

Trailblazing director Ava DuVernay can add another important “first” to her list. With A Wrinkle In Time, she’s become the first black female director whose movie earned more than $100 million domestically.

DuVernay acknowledged the historic achievement on Twitter earlier this week, writing: “Lovely room to be in. But can’t wait for more sisters to be here too.”

https://twitter.com/ava/status/1008836184649412608

For now, DuVernay is the lone woman among 13 other black directors. Recent additions to the $100 million club include Ryan Coogler for Black Panther ($699 million), Jordan Peele for Get Out ($176 million) and Malcolm D. Lee for Girls Trip ($115 million).

On top of its $100 million domestic total, A Wrinkle in Time earned an additional $32 million overseas.

DuVernay also acknowledged another important groundbreaking director, Angela Robinson. Robinson was the first black female director to hit the $100 million mark in total box office (foreign and domestic) for the 2005 film Herbie: Fully Loaded.

Up next for DuVernay is a superhero movie, DC Comics’ New Gods, which is currently in early development. As Variety reported, it marks “just the second major superhero tentpole directed by a woman”—Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman was the first—and the first by a black woman.

Straight From The Root

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