Ava DuVernay inks Netflix deal to produce Central Park Five series
Ava DuVernay is bringing a limited series about the Central Park Five to Netflix, according to Variety, keeping up her work with the streaming giant.
Ava DuVernay is bringing a limited series about the Central Park Five to Netflix, according to Variety, keeping up her work with the streaming giant.
The five-part series will be written and directed by DuVernay and is set to debut in 2019. This after the widely-heralded success of 13th, which examined the system of mass incarceration and the history of racial inequality in the United States.
–Three of the ‘Central Park Five’ finally get to attend high school graduation–
“I had an extraordinary experience working with Netflix on ’13th’ and am overjoyed to continue this exploration of the criminal justice system as a narrative project with Cindy Holland and the team there,” said DuVernay of the latest project. “The story of the men known as Central Park Five has riveted me for more than two decades. In their journey, we witness five innocent young men of color who were met with injustice at every turn — from coerced confessions to unjust incarceration to public calls for their execution by the man who would go on to be the President of the United States.”
“This is one of the most talked-about cases of our time and Ava’s passionate vision and masterful direction will bring the human stories behind the headlines to life in this series,” said Cindy Holland, vice president of original content for Netflix. “After powerfully reframing the public conversation about criminality and injustice in ’13th,’ Ava now turns a new lens to a case that exposes deep flaws in our criminal justice system.”
The project is backed by Participant Media, Tribeca Productions and Harpo Films, with Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Skoll, Jonathan King, Jane Rosenthal and Berry Welsh set to executive produce alongside DuVernay.
Participant Media’s King said of the project, “It’s an honor to be partnering again with Ava, a uniquely tenacious and inspiring artist. The events of this shocking story continue to resonate today, and the way Ava has chosen to focus intimately on the five young men foregrounds the human costs of this kind of tragedy. We are looking forward to working with Netflix, Tribeca and Harpo on Participant’s first scripted episodic series.”
