'Wonder Woman' smashes $100 million glass ceiling with huge opening weekend
Wonder Woman continues to exceed every expectation imposed on it. For one, it's currently the best-received DC Extended Universe movie ever—not a high bar to clear, but Diana Prince has vaulted over it with a 93% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. As the opening weekend comes to a close, Wonder Woman is also expected to pass the $100 million mark with a $100.5 million box office takeaway. Combine that with its international take of $122.5 million, and Wonder Woman is officially a box office giant, with the third-biggest opening for a DC film after The Dark Knight Rises.
"Globally this property has just resonated with fans," Warner Bros. distribution chief Jeff Goldstein told Variety. "There's something iconic about Diana and the story of Wonder Woman that's hitting the zeitgeist perfectly."
Patty Jenkins now holds the title of best opening weekend for a female director, previously held by Sam Taylor-Johnson for Fifty Shades of Grey. Jenkins' only other feature film is 2003's Monster, which won Charlize Theron the Academy Award for Best Actress.
See photos from the "Wonder Woman" premiere:
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Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot is also receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews for her portrayal of the Justice League demigoddess, who first appeared as a comic book character in the early 1940s. According to Goldstein, studio executives knew that Gadot's Wonder Woman was "something special" after they saw the overwhelmingly positive response to her character in the otherwise dismally received Batman v. Superman. "While the story was critically tough, she emerged as a real bright spot," Goldstein said. Now, she's one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.
When the initial reviews rolled in and the consensus was unexpectedly enthusiastic, many were relieved. Finally, a female-led, female-directed superhero movie that proves that female-led, female-directed superhero movies can not only be good, they can be great. Now, uh, hey Disney, how about that Captain Marvel movie?
See photos of Gal Gadot:
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