Variety is reporting Ava DuVernay is stepping into the superhero universe. The filmmaker has come on board to direct “ New Gods ” at Warner Bros. as part of the studio’s DC Extended Universe. “ New Gods ,” based on the DC Comics series of the same name, is aimed at creating a new universe of properties for the studio. Created and designed by Jack Kirby, the comic was first released in 1971. The movie marks the second major superhero tentpole directed by a woman, following another DC property: Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman.” DuVernay directed Disney’s “ A Wrinkle in Time ,” becoming the first woman of color in Hollywood to helm a live-action film with a production budget of $100 million. The time-travel fantasy has grossed $42.2 million in its first six days in North America. The New Gods are natives of the twin planets of New Genesis and Apokolips. New Genesis is an idyllic planet ruled by the Highfather, while Apokolips is a dystopia filled with machinery and fire pits ruled