Ava DuVernay Inks Landmark Creative Pact with Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) and Emmy Award-winning and Oscar-nominated writer, producer and director Ava DuVernay have aligned in a landmark, multiyear creative partnership.

This marks DuVernay’s first overall deal with any studio. The exclusive development and production pact for DuVernay and her Forward Movement production company takes effect in January 2019.

Under terms of the agreement, DuVernay will develop new TV projects—including but not limited to drama and comedy series, long-form and event series, documentaries, potential digital content and more—for all platforms.

WBTVG’s relationship with DuVernay began in 2015, when Warner Horizon Scripted Television signed on to produce Queen Sugar, the drama series that she created for OWN and executive produces alongside Oprah Winfrey.

Peter Roth, Warner Bros. Television Group’s president and chief content officer, said, “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.”

DuVernay commented, “I’ve had nothing but beautiful experiences working with Peter Roth, Susan Rovner and Brett Paul. 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.”