Nia DaCosta is heading to television in a big way. The filmmaker behind Hedda and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple has been tapped to direct the pilot and second episode of Sex Criminals, Prime Video’s highly anticipated series adaptation of the acclaimed Image Comics title. DaCosta will also serve as an executive producer on the project. The news was announced Monday during Amazon’s Upfront presentation in New York City.
What’s the Show About?
Based on the comic book series by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky, Sex Criminals stars Imogen Poots and John Reynolds as Suze and Jon, two people who discover they share an extraordinary ability: when they have sex, they stop time. Naturally, they do what any other time-stopping couple would do and rob banks. The series blends raunchy comedy with romance and crime, while diving into deeper themes of relationships, shame, and emotional baggage that made the source material a critical favorite during its run from 2013 to 2020.
The eight-episode series was co-created by Emily V. Gordon, Kumail Nanjiani, and Tze Chun, who also serve as showrunners. Nanjiani will additionally appear on screen in the series.
Sex Criminals is produced by Amazon MGM Studios, alongside Gordon and Nanjiani’s Winter Coat Films and LuckyChap. Executive producers include Gordon, Nanjiani, Chun, Dani Melia, Dani Gorin, Fraction, Zdarsky, and DaCosta.
DaCosta’s Rising Profile
DaCosta brings considerable prestige to the project. She made history with Candyman in 2021, becoming the first Black female director to open No. 1 at the U.S. box office, and went on to direct The Marvels, making her both the youngest filmmaker and the first Black woman to helm a Marvel Studios feature. Most recently she directed 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and wrote and directed Hedda, a reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play starring Tessa Thompson.