Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman grossed $100.5 million from 4,165 theaters in its domestic box-office debut over the weekend, the biggest opening ever for a female director.
Overseas, Wonder Woman also won the weekend with $122.5 million from 55 markets for a global bow of $223 million, including a No. 1 debut in China with $38 million.
Wonder Woman‘s performance could put even more pressure on film companies to make more job offers to women filmmakers.
The $150 million Warner movie, which stars Gal Gadot as Diana Princess-Wonder Woman, also launches the first film franchise featuring a female superhero after both Catwoman and Elektra flopped in the mid-2000s.
Wonder Woman has been in development since 1996. It skewed female (52 percent), almost unheard for a superhero title, which usually draws an audience that is 60 percent male.
“Patty’s vision mesmerized the audience. She is a real talent. Clearly, this is a movie that is resonating with moviegoers around the globe,” said Warners domestic distribution president Jeff Goldstein. “I am sure we will be seeing a lot more of Diana on the big screen.”
The previous record-holder for top opening for a female helmer was Sam Taylor-Johnson’s Fifty Shades of Grey, not adjusting for inflation. That film debuted to $93 million over the four-day Valentine’s Day-Presidents Day weekend in 2015, including a three-day gross of $85 million.
Earning strong reviews and an A CinemaScore from audiences, Wonder Woman is a needed critical win for Warners and DC Entertainment, whose Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) were snubbed.
Wonder Woman also restores the luster to the early summer box office after the worst Memorial Day weekend in 18 years. Overall weekend revenue was up 33 percent over the same frame last year.
Internationally, Wonder Woman came in ahead of Warners superhero film Man of Steel in many markets, including China. According to the studio, the pic is also pacing ahead of both Guardians of the Galaxy movies, the first two Iron Man films and the first two Captain America titles.
Wonder Woman snagged the fourth-best Warner opening in both China and Mexico ($8.4 million). It raked in $8.5 million in South Korea and $8.3 million in Brazil. In Europe, the movie debuted to $7.5 million in the U.K., although it lost out in Russia and Italy to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Wonder Woman has yet to open in several major markets, including France and Germany.
Imax theaters accounted for $18.3 million globally — the third biggest launch for a DC Comics film — including $9 million domestically.