Posted in: HBO, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: Ava DuVernay, bleeding cool, Briarpatch, cable, comic books, Comics, dmz, HBO, hbo max, rosario dawson, streaming, television, tv
"DMZ": Rosario Dawson Set for Lead Role in Ava DuVernay, HBO Max Series
Ava DuVernay is having a pretty good run of things creatively heading into the early days of 2020, coming off of her critically-acclaimed and award-winning Netflix limited series When They See Us and heading towards a turn behind the camera that puts her at the helm of a film adaptation of Jack Kirby's New Gods. But for those of us who spend most of our time on the "television" side of things, we're excited for DuVernay's other adventure in the DC Comics universe: overseeing production on and directing the pilot for HBO Max's upcoming series adaptation of Brian Wood's Vertigo comic DMZ.
Now we know who will be leading the series, with Deadline Hollywood confirming exclusively that Rosario Dawson (Briarpatch) is set to join the series. Written by showrunner and executive producer Roberto Patino, the pilot finds the U.S. in the midst of a new civil war that leaves Manhattan a demilitarized zone (or "DMZ"). Dawson's medic Alma Ortego goes on a harrowing journey of saving lives while desperately searching for her lost son. As she contends with the gangs, militias, demagogues and warlords that control this lawless no man's land, she becomes the fierce, unlikely source of what everyone here has lost – hope.
"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. 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."
One major thing that both DuVernay and Patino have in common? Both signed overall creative and production deals with Warner Bros Television towards the end of 2018. Production on the adaptation's pilot is expected to begin in early 2020, ahead of WarnerMedia's launch of new streamer HBO Max.