Fans of DC Comics don't yet know what story the upcoming New Gods movie will be telling, but one thing is for certain: director Ava DuVernay is turning to the right people to bring the iconic 'Fourth World' of Jack Kirby to life.
That will make perfect sense to the Kirby enthusiasts who have been following news of the film from the very start, since DuVernay confirmed early on that she asked DC about making a New Gods movie (as opposed to being sought out to lead the project). With such a cosmic pantheon of characters and conflicts to choose from, the New Gods isn't a property wished for lightly. Now according to the film's screenwriter, DuVernay's mission to do Kirby's cosmos justice has recruited a whole 'team' of experts.
The update on the project comes straight from New Gods writer Tom King himself, DuVernay's most visible (and most promising) recruit confirmed thus far. During a spotlight panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2019--just prior to winning the Eisner Award for his Mister Miracle series with artist Mitch Gerads--King was asked what updates he could offer about his collaboration with DuVernay. While details are scarce, King's enthusiasm was obvious:
I mean, how do you answer that question right? Because everybody knows what I'm going to say. But I'm going to say it anyway: it's a fucking joy! She's amazing! I was doing another thing where I was doing a big Hollywood [project], working with big famous Hollywood people, and it wasn't such a joy. Like there was egos and shit involved. She doesn't have an ego, she just gets in there.
She invited me out, and she asked what team I wanted to bring. Because she wanted to assemble people who knew Kirby, and she was like, 'Can you put together a team?' So we put together this team. And she was smart, and a good storyteller, and it was one of the best storytelling experiences I've ever had. And next week I go off to work with her.
Since their collaboration was first announced, both King and DuVernay have had nothing but kind words and praise for the other to share via social media, with references to the very start of Jack Kirby's space opera. And based on their recent track record, the praise makes perfect sense. DuVernay's critical acclaim and audience response for Netflix's When They See Us makes her a talent DC fans are happy to have. While King's aforementioned Mister Miracle, a contemporary tale starring the New God, his wife Barda, and the rest of the extended Fourth World family is among DC's best in years.
Of course, King's success in bringing a surprising, modern, and inspired take on Kirby's Fourth World only makes it more tantalizing to know who his assembled 'team' might actually be. Writers? Artists? Consultants? Historians? It's anybody's guess for now. But with the New Gods movie taking its time, any update is a welcome one.
