Go, Patty!! ?? @ava & @oprah are so proud of @PattyJenks and @WonderWomanFilm's success that they can't help dancing. pic.twitter.com/EPOtDhMOSG— EntertainmentTonight (@etnow) June 7, 2017
It's official, Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman has been given the seal of approval by Oprah and director Ava DuVernay. The latest entry in Warner Bros.' DC Expanded Universe has been attracting plenty of plaudits from audiences and critics alike who have been greatly impressed by Gal Gadot's interpretation of the iconic character and many are claiming that the movie is the best DCEU offering thus far.
Aside from being a critical and commercial success, Wonder Woman and its director have both been breaking new ground in terms of females on screen and behind the camera. Wonder Woman's financial success proves that after years of movie studios avoiding a female-fronted superhero film, there is an undoubted market for such features. On a personal level, Jenkins achieved the biggest opening weekend by a female director, previously held by Sam Taylor-Johnson's Fifty Shades of Grey.
The latest figures to add their voices to the chorus of praise are television personality Oprah and Selma director Ava DuVernay. In a clip from Entertainment Tonight, the duo praise Patty Jenkins for her "nuanced and full-bodied" cinematic interpretation of the DC hero and for breaking new ground as a female director before ending on a "Go Patty!" cheer.
Oprah has often spoken out regarding issues of feminism and DuVernay is no stranger to cinematic milestones herself, with her forthcoming Disney movie A Wrinkle In Time marking the first live-action feature with a $100 million budget to be directed by a black woman. Such achievements are certainly encouraging as directorial opportunities on blockbuster films have been notoriously difficult to come by for women in the past.
Of course, for some, the politics of Wonder Woman's success is secondary to the fact that the release is simply a great superhero movie with a far better balance of comedy and pathos than the DCEU has displayed previously and a hugely entertaining selection of characters. With the sequel already being discussed, fans will surely be hoping Patty Jenkins is confirmed as director for Wonder Woman 2 as soon as possible.
With that said, it's still important to recognize the cultural impact of the movie, especially since Wonder Woman has always been a progressive character in terms of gender equality, even in her comic book days. The fact that the character is still helping to break new ground for women is something to be celebrated and the new movie's success will hopefully help pave the way for other solo female-led superhero fare.
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Source: Entertainment Tonight
