Time Warner's 'Wonder Woman' Jump-Starts Summer Box Office, Female Superhero Genre

It took a “Wonder Woman” not only to jump-start the summer box office, but end Time Warner Incs TWX's critically maligned skid as it tries to approximate the success of the rival Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise run by Walt Disney Co DIS.

“Wonder Woman” not only is a breakout hit of the summer, it defied expectations and shattered records for a movie directed by a woman, in this case Patty Jenkins, the Oscar-winning director of ”Monster.”

It was also the best-reviewed superhero film since “The Dark Knight” by Christopher Nolan, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie made $100.05 million in the United States and roughly the same amount overseas this weekend, according to Variety. It landed roughly in the average cash intake, as superhero movies go, but its real success is in the reviews. This is the first DC movie of its current, shared-universe slate to get an overwhelming nod.

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DC’s attempt to imitate Marvel had gotten off to a dispiriting start. Though “Man of Steel.” “Batman v. Superman” and “Suicide Squad” have been commercial hits, the critical reviews and return business by fans paint them as largely artistic failures.

“Wonder Woman” — starring Israeli model Gal Godot in the titular role and Chris Pine as the dude in distress — garnered a 93 percent “fresh” rating on the aggregate movie reviewer, Rotten Tomatoes.

The only other legit hit during the school’s-out season was the Disney/Marvel sequel “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2,” while a raft of other summer tentpoles have pretty much fallen below expectations, including “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword,” “Alien: Covenant,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean 5.”

Then, of course, there was the bomb that was “Baywatch,” which got blisteringly bad reviews and few people in the seats. Hollywood had its worst Memorial Day weekend since 1999.

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