Wonder Woman 1984 lassoed $16.7 million at the box office over Christmas weekend.
While the number is relatively low, the film scored the best three-day debut since the pandemic began and many movie theaters were forced to shut their doors.
All eyes were on this release because it was the first Warner Bros. film to open in theaters and HBO Max on the same day.
According to HBO Max nearly half of the platform’s retail subscribers viewed the film on Christmas Day.
Lastly, Wonder Woman 3 is in the way.
Warner Bros. Chairman Toby Emmerich said Sunday:
As fans around the world continue to embrace Diana Prince, driving the strong opening weekend performance of Wonder Woman 1984, we are excited to be able to continue her story with our real-life Wonder Women – Gal and Patty – who will return to conclude the long-planned theatrical trilogy.
Source: THR
Read our review of Wonder Woman 1984 written by B. Gunn below.
COVID-19 has undoubtedly emerged as the most powerful super villain of 2020. It has ravaged every facet of our lives. It has been the kryptonite of movie theaters worldwide. With no immediate remedy in sight, Warner Brothers made a controversial decision: Release all of its 2021 films in remaining theaters AND through HBO MAX. While some casual fans loved this idea, a number of theater owners along with movie directors saw this as a declaration of war, causing a rift the likes of which we’ve never seen. The beta test happened this December with the release of “Wonder Woman 1984”. Not only has Warner Brothers managed to cause a divide, but so has this film among movie goers. Let me see if I can reach across party lines and find common ground.
Kristen Wiig, Chris Pine, and Pedro Pascal. Diana Prince is now a seasoned veteran to the ways of humanity after spending many decades among mortals. She’s no longer the bright-eyed, bushy-tailed novice we saw in the first movie. She believes in the goodness of hearts and saves those in trouble, but she does so in anonymity – as much as she can, that is, all while keeping her day hustle as an anthropologist. Wiig’s character Barbara Minerva is what you may call socially challenged. She doesn’t have many friends but is a professional in awkwardness. She sees Diana as the ultimate female with her confidence and beauty. After a situation occurs, they discover a strange relic and that kicks off the adventure. I’ve said before that DC movies are big on storyline and dialogue followed by action sequences and Marvel films let the action tell the story. Personally, I love DC films more because of that reason and I also believe this is why WW84 is so polarizing: It’s a matter of preference.
The opening sequence is astonishing as we see a flashback of a young Diana in Themyscira engaging in a competition. That scene is not indicative of the entire film meaning there isn’t a ton of action. When the action does pop up, it is a marvelous array of choreographed stunts and eye-catching special effects that will leave you entertained and satisfied – when they pop up.
WW84’s plot drives this film, the subplot to be more specific. It deals with emotion and right vs wrong. As I was watching, I tried putting myself in the shoes of an action-first type of fan. Some of the dialogue can come off as cheesy, borderline boring, especially after a huge action scene. You know how you feel after coming down from drinking a high caffeine beverage? That’s sort of how a few scenes are constructed. Pacing isn’t bad, but it could’ve been better. As far as performances, the cast gives it to you. Barbara’s character arc grows throughout the film which is a testament to the writers and Wiig for being able to keep us enthralled. Her portrayal of Cheetah isn’t animated. It’s what happens when you gain something you’ve been longing for.
Pascal as Max Lord isn’t your typical antagonist. He’s introduced as a textbook lying, manipulative villain, but it’s in the 2nd act that you learn why he does what he does, and his motivation is, well …understandable. He’s super sadistic in his approach, but hey. Just like Cheetah, it’s what happens when you gain something you’ve been longing for. He does get somewhat comic-booky, and it hampers his overall performance during the 3rd act. He just doesn’t know when to stop. That magic lasso won’t do it, Diana, you need to get a magic belt or extension cord for this clown!
Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana has grown so much and her character truly has evolved. Adding Steve Trevor (Pine) back into the mix shows her vulnerability and it’s interesting how he comes back into her life but, the plot dictates it. Could it have been better executed? Yeah, but to change that would be to change the plot, and the plot wasn’t bad per se, but certain elements became convoluted. Too many people wanted the same things and it caused unnecessary chaos onscreen.
I really like “Wonder Woman 1984” but I can see why others didn’t. It basically boils down to this; If you like descriptive dialogue – which can be slow – with action secondary, you’ll enjoy this. If you want non-stop action first with explanation on the back end, you may be more disappointed. There is an end credit scene so be sure to check that out.
Overall, “Wonder Woman 1984” is an enjoyable piece of work and let’s be honest, most of you are watching it on a jailbroken firestick anyway, so you’re not losing any money. It’s much better to see this on a big screen, but I’m just saying. I don’t need a lasso to get the truth from you. I already know…
Did you see the film?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
