Ava DuVernay "Honored" And "Grateful" To Direct A New Prince Documentary For Netflix

Even though Prince was one of the most iconic musicians of the last 40 years, the man himself was a bit of a mystery up until his death in 2016. Prince not only had dozens of hits and starred in multiple films, but according to reports, the reclusive musical genius also created thousands of works that were kept in a vault and never released. Needless to say, there’s plenty about the musician we have yet to learn. And that’s where Ava DuVernay comes in, with her latest documentary project.

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Deadline has revealed that DuVernay, the award-winning filmmaker behind “Selma” and “13th,” has signed on to direct a new documentary about Prince for the streaming service Netflix. Apparently, the director was handpicked by the late-singer’s estate to helm the project, as Prince was supposedly a huge fan of DuVernay’s work and had previously contacted her about collaborating on a project before his death.

The report says that the filmmaker has already begun filming on the project, and has gained previously-unheard of access to Prince’s Paisley Park estate and the aforementioned vault, which is said to contain thousands of songs, films, and videos that the singer decided to never release.

“Prince was a genius and a joy and a jolt to the senses,” said DuVernay. “He was like no other. He shattered every preconceived notion, smashed every boundary, shared everything in his heart through his music. The only way I know how to make this film is with love. And with great care. I’m honored to do so and grateful for the opportunity entrusted to me by the estate.”

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As previously mentioned, DuVernay is the acclaimed filmmaker behind the Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic “Selma,” but she also received incredible critical acclaim for her previous Netflix documentary feature “13th,” which took a deep dive into the US prison system and the nation’s history of racial inequality. That film earned DuVernay an Oscar nomination.

No word on a release date for the untitled Prince doc, but with production already begun, hopefully, we’ll see it sooner than later.