Ava DuVernay’s Central Park Five lands a release date, new title & teaser

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Originally titled CENTRAL PARK FIVE, Ava DuVernay's upcoming Netflix series about five black and brown teenage boys who were wrongly accused of a crime they did not commit in New York City has been re-branded WHEN THEY SEE US. Alongside the series' title change, DuVernay's eye-opening drama also released a brief teaser as well as an official release date.

Set to premiere on Netflix come May 31, WHEN THEY SEE US takes place in 1989, and is based on a true story that gripped the country. The series will chronicle the notorious case of five teenagers of color, labeled the Central Park Five, who were convicted of a rape they did not commit. The four part limited series will focus on the five teenagers from Harlem — Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise. Beginning in the spring of 1989, when the teenagers were first questioned about the incident, the series will span 25 years, highlighting their exoneration in 2002 and the settlement reached with the city of New York in 2014.

DuVernay took to her personal Twitter account to announce the title change and share Netflix's new teaser this morning:

“In 1989, five black and brown teen boys were wrongly accused of a crime they did not commit and branded The Central Park Five, a moniker that has followed them since that time,” the A WRINKLE IN TIME filmmaker said in a statement. “In 2019, our series gives the five men a platform to finally raise their voices and tell their full stories. In doing so, Korey, Antron, Raymond, Kevin and Yusef also tell the story of many young people of color unjustly ensnared in the criminal justice system. We wanted to reflect this perspective in our title, embracing the humanity of the men and not their politicized moniker.”

In addition to creating the series, DuVernay also co-wrote all four episodes alongside Attica Locke, Robin Swicord, and Michael Starrbury. DuVernay will direct all four episodes of the hard-hitting drama. Meanwhile, Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King from Participant Media, Oprah Winfrey from Harpo Films, and Jane Rosenthal, Berry Welsh and Robert De Niro from Tribeca Productions will executive produce, alongside DuVernay via her Forward Movement lable.

WHEN THEY SEE US stars Michael K. Williams, Vera Farmiga, John Leguizamo, Felicity Huffman, Niecy Nash, Blair Underwood, Christopher Jackson, Joshua Jackson, Omar J. Dorsey, Adepero Oduye, Famke Janssen, Aurora Perrineau, William Sadler, Jharrel Jerome, Jovan Adepo, Aunjanue Ellis, Kylie Bunbury, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Storm Reid, Chris Chalk, Freddy Miyares, Justin Cunningham, Ethan Herisse, Caleel Harris, Marquis Rodriguez and Asante Blackk.

WHEN THEY SEE US will arrive on Netflix come May 31st.