America, and the world, has a long history of love for our superheroes.
Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Ironman, etc. all have one thing in common—the word “man” at the end of their title. But over the weekend, the world witnessed a female superhero take the stage by storm—Wonder Woman.
With an estimated $105 million (domestic) box office sales over the weekend, Wonder Woman became a major hit. More interesting is the fact that Patty Jenkins represented the biggest opening ever for a female director.
Why did Wonder Woman do so well?
First and foremost, American culture has shifted dramatically over the years. During a time when Superhero’s first hit comic strips, male dominance was very real. Today, a very influential feminine movement has catapulted within society.
Gal Gadot, star of Wonder Woman, is incredibly attractive. Well, let’s just say it—she is super-hot. So, not only will young and old women want to see a feminine based empowerment-like movie, men are more than likely willing to watch it as well if for no other reason, the actress is smoking hot.
Truthfully though, the aforementioned could be considered completely unfair for not only Gal Gadot but also Patty Jenkins.
Gal Gadot is an exceptional actress who knows action. She starred in four of the Fast and Furious movies as well as Batman vs Superman. She has a capable dramatic side proven in her roles in movies like Keeping Up With the Joneses, Date Night, and Triple 9.
Fact is, Gal Gadot, while maybe not the typical female A-Lister name known in every household across America like Angelina Jolie, she is a force to be reckoned with within the female actor realm. And, after this weekend, it’s highly likely she will become that new household name mentioned.
Patty Jenkins is kind of a Black Swan in Hollywood. Sure, she has directed a few television series’ but let’s face it, to go from directing a television episode or two to a major block-bluster hit is extremely rare.
Someone in Hollywood took a major chance on Patty Jenkins with this film—or did they?
Personally, I think there is a very high chance that Patty Jenkins was put in her position for ulterior motives. I believe Zach Snyder who films all the Justice League series (and actually wrote Wonder Woman) was told to take a step back with Wonder Woman.
Something tells me there was a major push to ensure Wonder Woman had a female director behind the film to enhance a deeper push with a social feminine narrative which would inevitably help spark more media attention.
Guess what?
If true, and no matter one’s take on the current feminine social movement that is alive and kicking today, it worked.
Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot proved that a woman in front of the camera and one behind directing can compete with the male dominant action genre in Hollywood.
A huge congrats to all involved in the making and release of Wonder Woman. You hit it out of the park—feminine push or not.
But now it’s time for everyone to don their thinking caps.
With all this talk about Superheroes, let me ask a simple question—based off what you read, where can some of the greatest successes fall?
By latching onto a movement.
Some can argue Wonder Woman latched onto the social feminist movement which assisted in bolstering sales.
What could/would happen if a crypto-movement escalated in the film world?
Don’t think ideas aren’t churning on that last note.
Stay tuned as I believe the crypto world may be in store for an all crypto backed block-bluster in the near future which could inevitably cripple big Hollywood.