Wonder Woman breaks box office records, becomes biggest opener for female director

Patty Jenkins has become the first female director to score a $100 million plus opening weekend for her superhero film Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman has soared to a $100.5 million box-office debut in North American theatres, making the Patty Jenkins-directed superhero film the biggest opening ever for a movie directed by a woman.

This image released by Warner Bros. Entertainment shows Gal Gadot in a scene from Wonder Woman. (AP)

According to studio estimates Sunday, the well-reviewed Wonder Woman surpassed industry expectations with one of the summer’s biggest debuts. Starring Gal Gadot as the Amazonian warrior, Wonder Woman is the rare female-led film in an overwhelmingly male superhero landscape.

It proved a hit with moviegoers, earning an A CinemaScore and, while skewing somewhat female, drew a fairly even split audience. Warner Bros. said 52% of the audience was female and 48% male.

Last week’s top film, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, is expected to slide steeply for a distant second place.

Director of the movie Patty Jenkins poses at the premiere of Wonder Woman.