Ava DuVernay Might Direct ‘A Wrinkle in Time’

Drew Dietsch
Movies
Movies

Madeleine L’Engle’s sci-fi/fantasy novel A Wrinkle in Time is a stone cold classic. The 1963 story focuses on thirteen-year-old Meg Murry as she travels across time and space to rescue her scientist father. It’s a tale that involves incredibly bizarre landscapes and visually stimulating ideas. It’s a story that was once thought of as unfilmable, but that didn’t stop Disney from producing a mediocre TV movie back in 2003. Ever since then, a feature film adaptation from the Mouse House has been in the works.

Today, it’s been announced that Ava DuVernay (Selma) has entered into talks to direct the film. The script is currently in the hands of Frozen scribe Jennifer Lee. DuVernay recently turned down Marvel’s Black Panther due to the lack of creative control she would have over the film. Is it possible that Disney would give DuVernay greater reign over a property that has yet to make a significant translation to the screen?

ava duvernay

It’s obvious that Disney (who owns Marvel) wants DuVernay for something. DuVernay is a fantastic director who deserves a shot at a tentpole film, and A Wrinkle in Time could be a good fit. It’s fair to assume that Disney wants A Wrinkle in Time to eventually continue through the other books in the series, so it’s also a question of whether DuVernay would only adapt the first (and best) book. Handled correctly, Disney could make A Wrinkle in Time work as a standalone piece but drop a potential tease for future stories.

Whether or not DuVernay takes the job, it’s apparent that A Wrinkle in Time is destined for the big screen at some point. There’s a great graphic novel adaptation of the book which you can buy here. Or just read the original. Either way, it’s an inherently cinematic story that we’ll be seeing sooner rather than later. Let’s hope there’s as talented a director as DuVernay behind the camera.


Would you like to be part of the Fandom team? Join our Fan Contributor Program and share your voice on Fandom.com!

Drew Dietsch
Drew Dietsch has been professionally writing about entertainment for over a decade. His bylines include FANDOM - where he was a founding contributor and Entertainment Editor - Bloody Disgusting, SYFY WIRE, and more. He created and hosts GenreVision, a weekly film discussion show at genrevision.com.