Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman on Target for big Opening Weekend
Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman has yet to open, but the film already has the entire world talking. Former Israeli supermodel turned actress Gal Gadot (Fast and Furious) stars in the film’s title role, and so far nearly every news item about the film has been positive. The Gadot/Jenkins power-duo creates the first-ever super-hero film that is female centric, and is riding a wave of excellent reviews towards its premiere tomorrow, June 2. Even the extended behind-the-scenes featurette shows ample proof of how committed (and how much fun) Jenkins, Gadot and the whole Wonder Woman team had bringing this film to life. Their enthusiasm is now being matched by fans all across the globe, and the question may turn out to be, how many of them will be going to their very first superhero movie because of Jenkins' and Gadot (and, of course, Wonder Woman's) involvement?
The international hype that this film has caused is smashing, and now The Hollywood Reporter writes that the film is tracking for a very healthy opening. As superhero movies tend to draw similar crowds, Wonder Woman has already gathered huge support from people outside of the traditional demographic that supports this genre of films. But, it’s not just the age and gender demographics that have changed; internationally, there is a huge support for the film. Specifically, in Israel, the entire country has gathered in support of their leading lady. The country is incredibly proud of the success that she has gained, and nearly every reviewer agrees that she's magnetic in a role she'll likely have for a very long time. Consider Hugh Jackman played Wolverine for 16-years, through a slew of X-Men and stand-alone films (including his last turn in the role, in the critically acclaimed Logan), and you can see just how much of a career-builder playing a beloved superhero can be. With Gadot earning raves as Diana Prince, this could be a game-changer not only for her, but for the superhero genre as well.
It's also inescapable that the fact that this is the first superhero film with a female director and a female lead brings a fresh perspective to the genre. Another first; we are seeing female-only premiers of a film, which, controversy aside, pointed towards a level of excitement that is beyond the normal fanboy thrill that greets other DC and Marvel projects. The hope is that Gadot is able to portray a character that expands the female fan base, retains lovers of the superhero genre, and touches the hearts of people who might not have otherwise been interested in a movie based on a comic book character. What also helps is, unlike previous DC films, which were populated by brooding male characters, Gadot's Diana Prince believes in humanity, is good and decent, and also, crucially, carries a mean whip, an indestructible shield, a mighty sword and some serious superpowers.
