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Ava DuVernay is reportedly set to direct a Prince documentary for Netflix. DuVernay, who previously directed 13th and Selma, has the blessing and cooperation of Prince’s estate to work on the project which means there will be previously unseen interviews, footage, photos, recordings and unreleased materials that will be shared with DuVernay for the project, according to Deadline.com.
“Prince was a genius and a joy and a jolt to the senses,” DuVernay told Deadline. “He was like no other. He shattered every preconceived notion, smashed every boundary, shared everything in his heart through his music. The only way I know how to make this film is with love. And with great care.
“I’m honored to do so and grateful for the opportunity entrusted to me by the estate.”
It appears that the project has been a long time coming.
According to the Deadline report, Prince reached out to DuVernay directly before his passing on April 21, 2016 with the hopes of working together. Now, she has been entrusted with the task of bringing Prince’s life to the silver screen. DuVernay has made multiple visits to the Prince estate throughout the year for her research in the early stages of the project.
There is no timetable for the project’s completion or eventual release.
As for DuVernay, she is not only staying busy with the Prince documentary but with a four-part series for Netflix centered around the Central Park Five. The Central Park Five project, which will take a close look at the five Harlem teens who were wrongly convicted of the brutal rape of a jogger in New York City, is set to debut next year.
