New Gods director Ava DuVernay will direct the pilot for HBO Max's adaptation of Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli's DMZ.
DuVernay, who is known for her work on such films as 13th and A Wrinkle in Time, will direct the pilot based on a script from Westworld producer Roberto Patino. DuVernay's ARRAY Filmsworks will produce the project with Warner Bros. Television, with whom she signed a $100 million deal late last year.
“DMZ is a special project to me as it marks a key collaboration with my company ARRAY Filmworks, the excellent team at Warner Bros TV and the dynamo Roberto Patino,” DuVernay told Deadline. “We’ve all worked diligently on this material and I’ve witnessed Roberto in action... He’s insanely talented and cares about telling stories with maximum impact and imagination. I’m eager to share this one with DC fans.”
DMZ ran for 72 issues between 2005 and 2012 and was published by Vertigo. The series is set after a second American Civil War, which resulted in Manhattan being turned into a demilitarized zone. An adaptation of the acclaimed series has long been sought, with Syfy planning one in 2014.
No release date or casting information for DMZ was revealed in the announcement. However, production is expected to begin in 2020. HBO Max will launch in spring 2020.