‘Wonder Woman 3’ in the works

Following the success of “Wonder Woman 1984,” Warner Bros. has announced plans to expedite development of the third installment in the franchise.

“Wonder Woman 3” will be written and directed by Patty Jenkins, with Gal Gadot reprising her role as the Themysciran goddess, the studio said Sunday.

“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 longplanned theatrical trilogy,” said Toby Emmerich, chairman of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, in a statement.

“Wonder Woman 1984” — which was released Friday in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously — has exceeded the studio’s projections amid the pandemic with a North American opening of $16.7 million and a global cumulative of $85 million in ticket sales.

Due to coronavirus restrictions, only 39% of theaters nationwide were open with limited capacity. The movie was released in more than 2,100 theaters nationwide, compared with 4,165 in 2017 for the first “Wonder Woman” film.

Private watch parties and large format screens such as IMAX and Dolby helped fuel ticket sales, Warner said.

The film, which earned a B+ Cinemascore and a 65% “fresh” rating on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, pioneered Warner Bros.’s controversial new release plan, which will see the studio’s entire 2021 theatrical slate debut simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. Traditionally, studios have waited about three months before releasing new movies into the home, but the pandemic has forced them to rethink conventional film distribution strategies as most cinemas remain closed.