How 'A Wrinkle In Time' Sweetly Honors Ava DuVernay's Bond With Her Late Dad

The big-screen adaptation of A Wrinkle In Time is sweeping through theaters across the country. Featuring the epic scope and action-packed set pieces usually associated with mega-budget superhero films, it's not surprising moviegoers might expect some other cinematic similarities between Wrinkle and comic book movies — like rewarding hardcore fans for sitting through the credits. But does A Wrinkle In Time have a post-credits scene reveal or in-joke worth waiting for?

Nope. Unfortunately A Wrinkle In Time doesn't feature any tantalizing hints of an extended Wrinkle universe, or a witty callback to an inside joke from the series. There's no post-credits sequence in the film, just a lovely recap of the enhanced landscapes travelled over the course of the film, and a sweet dedication to "our fathers," specifically naming Murray Maye and John C. Whitok.

While the identity of Whitok remains a mystery, Maye comes up frequently in interviews with Wrinkle director Ava DuVernay. Her beloved stepfather passed away after a sudden illness in 2016, just before she began production on A Wrinkle In Time. His death hit DuVernay hard, particularly given the parallels between Meg's missing father in Wrinkle and the director's own source of grief. In a New York Times interview, DuVernay said, “I felt that so deeply as I was making the film, this girl who literally cannot wrap her mind around the fact that he’s gone, and the moment when they say he could still be here ——.” She broke off crying, unable to continue.

The Times noted DuVernay had difficulty even bringing herself to say character Dr. Murray's name when changes were called for in the script, referring to him as simply "the father," due to the similarities with her own stepfather's first name. Maye was clearly proud of his daughter's accomplishments. In a CBS News clip, he visited DuVernay working on the set of Selma, and was shocked at the full scope of what DuVernay had accomplished. "I really did not realize [the production] was that big until one day I walked on the set and saw her directing. Took my heart away," Maye said. DuVernay has said her inspiration to make her Oscar-winning film came from Maye, who watched the Selma protesters march past him as a boy in Alabama.

DuVernay's love for Maye is displayed sweetly through the Wrinkle in Time dedication. The shout-out is so fitting for a movie about a girl's love and respect for her father, and dads and daughters everywhere will likely be affected by the movie's message. The dedication may be brief, but it's still a moment absolutely worth waiting for at the end of the movie.

And the credits are worth watching anyhow, to get a sense of just how many small and mostly independent companies were behind the dazzling effects seen in Wrinkle. Inc reports that DuVernay herself reached out to thank several of the companies who helped bring the story to life, and it's easy to see why. Their creations simply dazzle onscreen.

Like many other major movies, Wrinkle is filled with gorgeous scenes and stunning visual effects. But despite both their reliance on special effects, A Wrinkle In Time is notably different from Marvel films for lacking punishing, city-destroying fight scenes, and featuring a 13 year-old female protagonist.

However, just like its explosion-filled brethren, Wrinkle is part of a franchise. Madeline L'Engle's novel was the first in her extended Time Quintet, a series of five books spanning members and generations of the Murray family and their adventures throughout history and the universe. So while nothing's set in stone just yet, keep an eye out for more Wrinkle movies coming our way — perhaps with just as moving moments as the first film.