Ava DuVernay Teams Up With Ben & Jerry's For A Groundbreaking Flavor

Where would ice cream lovers be without Ben & Jerry's? These premium pints, first produced by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield way back in 1978, are a freezer staple for many a dessert aficionado. And rich ice cream is always paired with creative, luxurious add-ins ranging from chunks of cheesecake to pieces of fudge-covered toffee.

Anyone who's been indulging in B&J's for more than a little while knows that the brand has launched an almost unbelievable number of flavors since its inception. Some, like its Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, have been going strong since the 1980s, while others, like the chocolate-and-coconut Urban Jumble were commercial flops and eventually put out of their misery and left to rest in the brand's digital Flavor Graveyard.

One theme the ice cream makers seem to enjoy toying with is movies, which makes sense because the brand's scoops are a popular snack option at theaters (via LIVEKINDLY). Former cinema-themed flavors have included the less-than-successful Peanuts! Popcorn!, while the (still running strong) Netflix & Chill'd pints pay homage to the evening pastime. 

And today, Ben & Jerry's announced a new flavor collab with Ava DuVernay, the groundbreaking director, producer, and writer perhaps best known for the 2014 film "Selma" (via IMDb).

Lights! Caramel! Action! will come in regular and dairy-free versions

Today on its Instagram page, Ben & Jerry's announced a new flavor with Ava DuVernay, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker. Lights! Caramel! Action! will hit stores nationwide in January, according to People, and the pint will feature vanilla ice cream swirled with salted caramel and graham cracker-flavored ribbons as well as chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough. The company will even offer a dairy-free version that will have an almond milk base.

Why those flavor accents? "Because I love them and I eat them in real life. First of all, chocolate chip cookie dough. What more needs to be said?" DuVernay told People. The pint, which features the filmmaker's photo on the carton, might not be an altogether unfamiliar flavor, but the flavor is making history nonetheless as it's the first B&J's ice cream to sport the image of a Black woman. "I'm not taking it too seriously, but I do think that it's important to walk through doors that have not been opened," DuVernay said.

The filmmaker told People, she was closely involved with the creation of the flavor, and suggests that the "action" in the name is not just a silver screen motto, but alludes to the social action DuVernay hopes folks will take after viewing socially impactful flicks. And she's taking a meaningful step in that direction as all of the new flavor's proceeds will benefit the ARRAY Alliance, DuVernay's nonprofit that "works to advance social justice through art."