Ava DuVernay Will Be The First African American Woman to Direct a $100 Million Film.

Ava DuVernay

Back in February, news broke that Selma filmmaker Ava DuVernay would be directing a Disney adaptation of the 1963 classic fantasy novel by Madeleine L’Engle, A Wrinkle in Time.

After a list of CA film tax credits was announced earlier this week, it was revealed the upcoming production will bring $85 million in qualified spending to California and will receive an incentive of $18 million, bringing its budget to over $100 million.

The 9-figure number marks a major milestone for DuVernay, who is now officially the first black woman to helm a live action major motion picture with such a significant amount of funding behind it. DuVernay is also the only woman of color to earn such a distinction.

DuVernay replied to reports of her amazing achievement with a quote from Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa: “Stones in the road? I’ll save each one. Then one day I’ll build a castle.”

A Wrinkle in Time is set to hit theaters in 2017, Oprah is confirmed to star in the production.