Ava DuVernay has signed a new multi-year $100 million overall deal with Warner Bros. Television, the studio announced on Tuesday.
Under the terms of the development and production pact for DuVernay and her Forward Movement production company, the “Queen Sugar” creator will develop new television projects — including drama and comedy series, longform/event series, documentaries, potential digital content and more — for all platforms, including broadcast, cable and streaming.
The multi-year agreement will take effect in January 2019.
DuVernay has had a working relationship with WB since 2015, with Warner Horizon Scripted Television producing her OWN drama “Queen Sugar.” She also serves as an executive producer on CBS’s upcoming drama, “The Red Line,” about a police shooting in Chicago.
“I’ve had nothing but beautiful experiences working with Peter Roth, Susan Rovner and Brett Paul,” DuVernay said in a statement. “They love and support artists in wonderful and nourishing ways. They work within a traditional studio headed by Kevin Tsujihara that is stirring with untraditional energy and fresh protocols for intentional, inclusive image-making. Warner Bros. is a terrific partner about matters of visibility and belonging for all kinds and cultures of people, which is our mission at Forward Movement. I couldn’t be happier to call Warner Bros. TV my production home.”
Added Warner Bros. Television Group president Peter Roth, “Ava DuVernay is one of the leading lights in our industry, a brilliantly talented writer, producer, director and entrepreneur whose ability to inspire with her art is exceeded only by her ability to entertain. We have had the great pleasure of working with her on Queen Sugar and The Red Line, and we are extremely excited about the new stories she has to tell.”
Deadline first reported the news.