Ava DuVernay and Colin Kaepernick Developing Comedy Series Based on his High School Life
Ava DuVernay’s schedule for the foreseeable future is jampacked with exciting projects. Coming off the successes of Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time, she was recently announced to be helming a new DC comics film adaptation for Warner Bros. based on the stellar New Gods characters. The New Gods film will probably be placed further down the line on her itinerary because Vanity Fair has just revealed other huge projects of hers that are further into development. The most exciting of these- that has also never been exactly confirmed until now- is a comedy series based on NFL star Colin Kaepernick’s youth.
DuVernay was included in a TV showrunner feature from the site. If one is naive enough to not have the most upright respect for this creator now, then they will after reading down her current schedule. Firstly, she is currently focusing on casting her limited Netflix series based on the Central Park Five. Secondly, she is also working with the above the line crew (directors, writers, producers) on the new season of OWN’s Queen Sugar. Thirdly, she is also about to finalize her CBS pilot Red Line. Finally, she has been meeting with her A Wrinkle in Time producer Jim Whitaker on two new projects. One being the Battle of Versailles film for HBO and the other being the comedy series specifically based on Kaepernick’s life during high school. Whitaker also has producing credit on other big films such as Pete’s Dragon, Changeling, and American Gangster.
DuVernay and fellow producer Jim Whitaker via Justin Bishop/Vanity Fair
The series is still in very early stages of development and technically still has not been officially announced. There is only so little that can be discussed at the moment, but DuVernay did add some context for curious fans. “It’s Friday Night Lights meets Everybody Hates Chris– what’s not to love?”, she said. In today’s political climate, this could be something fresh for those eager for diverse content. It would also be hard to imagine this project not getting picked up from any network whatsoever. DuVernay and Kaepernick’s names are already so huge- with their forces combined they could draw in a large following.
Fans should remember that there could be a wait to get more updates on this project. The idea of this series is only being teased at the moment; when DuVernay or Kaepernick further give solid confirmation about the series then fans can start further churning their hype. The fact that this idea of a show is even being thrown around is a blessing not to be underappreciated. Content creators like DuVernay, Whitaker, and Kaepernick are out on a quest to bring quality television unlike before. One better make sure that they are ready to watch by a screen when the content is ready to be shared with the world. How excited are you for this series? Let us know on social media and make sure to stay tuned for more updates on DuVernay’s prospering career!
Source: Vanity Fair
