Ava DuVernay has signed on with Plan B (Brad Pitt’s company) and Pathe UK to helm Selma, a biopic on civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.  The film will focus on the voting rights movement and will take place in 1965.  David Oyelowo who appeared in Middle of Nowhere will play the civil rights leader.

This is important news because this is an epic movie about a major MALE historical figure.  Automatically, people will be anticipating this film and it will be on the awards watch lists.  These are the movies that the dudes make.  Movies about epic male historical figures are usually reserved for men ala Steven Spielberg.  That a woman is making this film is huge.  Lee Daniels was supposed to direct, but financing never came together.  

This news vaults Ms. DuVernay into the top tier of black filmmakers.  She already should have been there with her Sundance win and her success in releasing her own films.  But hey, late is better than never.

I can’t wait to see her take on this incredible man.

Ava DuVernay Now Aboard To Direct MLK Biopic ‘Selma’ (Deadline)