I Have Low Expectations for Wonder Woman

GAL GADOT as Wonder Woman in Warner Bros. Pictures' action adventure "WONDER WOMAN," a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Wonder Woman is the next movie to be released in the DC Cinematic Universe.

Between Marvel and DC, it’s the first comic book movie to be released with a female lead. Unfortunately, that doesn’t say much because I don’t have high hopes for it’s success. Critically speaking, DC hasn’t done well of late with the exception of the Dark Knight trilogy starring Christian Bale.

We could nick and pick all we want about what’s happened since Zack Snyder was hired to direct Man of Steel but it wouldn’t do much. Some people love the movies, others hated them. My biggest gripe with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was having Kentucky voters elect a Democratic senator to the United States Senate. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, it’s something that seems impossible to do in Kentucky with the political climate over the past few years.

I want this movie to be successful but that also includes being a success with critics, not just the fans. Poor reviews won’t lead to the movie’s success.

Let’s take a look at how well the last few DC movies have performed.

Man of Steel: $291,045,518 domestic plus $377,000,000 foreign ($668,045,518 worldwide); 55% on Rotten Tomatoes. Opening Weekend: 40.1% of box office gross

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: $330,360,194 domestic plus $542,900,000 foreign ($873,260,194 worldwide); 28% on Rotten Tomatoes. Opening Weekend: 50.3% of box office gross

Suicide Squad: $325,100,054 domestic plus $420,500,000 foreign ($745,600,054 worldwide); 25% on Rotten Tomatoes. Opening Weekend: 41.1% of box office gross.

Both of the last two movies were released in 2016 at the end of March and early August, respectively. How did they compare with Marvel’s movies in 2016?

Captain America: Civil War kicked off the summer and brought in a domestic gross of $408,084,349. It was better reviewed (Certified Fresh at 90%) and it’s opening weekend only accounted for 43.9% of the box office.

I’ll am planning to see Wonder Woman when it gets released. If it starts getting horrible reviews, I won’t and that’s a shame. That’s a shame because it’s the first comic book movie with a female lead. We need more strong women in leading roles at the movies.

I want DC to be successful but outside of their television properties, I just can’t see it happening at the movies anytime soon, not with Marvel consistently kicking their butt.

Danielle Solzman

Danielle Solzman is native of Louisville, KY, and holds a BA in Public Relations from Northern Kentucky University and a MA in Media Communications from Webster University. She roots for her beloved Kentucky Wildcats, St. Louis Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and Boston Celtics. Living less than a mile away from Wrigley Field in Chicago, she is an active reader (sports/entertainment/history/biographies/select fiction) and involved with the Chicago improv scene. She also sees many movies and reviews them. She has previously written for Redbird Rants, Wildcat Blue Nation, and Hidden Remote/Flicksided. From April 2016 through May 2017, her film reviews can be found on Creators.

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