‘Wonder Woman’ leaps to No. 1

Film tops industry expectations with $100 million debut.

NEW YORK — “Wonder Woman” conquered milestones and movie myths at North American theaters, where the Patty Jenkins-directed superhero film powered its way to a $100.5 million debut this weekend and became the biggest blockbuster ever directed by a woman.

The well-reviewed movie easily surpassed industry expectations with one of the summer’s biggest debuts, according to studio estimates Sunday. Starring Gal Gadot as the Amazonian warrior princess, “Wonder Woman” is the rare — and most successful — female-led film in an overwhelmingly male superhero landscape.

It proved a hit with moviegoers, earning an A CinemaScore. While skewing somewhat female, it drew a fairly evenly split audience. Warner Bros. said 52 percent of the audience was female and 48 percent male. “Wonder Woman” added $122.5 million internationally, including $38 million in China.

“It shows that superhero movies aren’t just about men. They’re about women as well,” said Jeff Goldstein, distribution chief for Warner Bros. “All the noise about Patty Jenkins breaking the glass ceiling for directors, I think that added to it as well.”

Women have long struggled to get behind the camera of Hollywood’s biggest productions. Female directors accounted for just 9 percent of the 250 top-grossing movies in North America in 2015 and only 7 percent in 2016.

Jenkins, who previously directed 2003’s “Monster” starring Charlize Theron, now holds the record for biggest domestic opening for a female director. The previous mark was Sam Taylor-Johnson’s “Fifty Shades of Grey,” with $85.1 million in 2015.

“Wonder Woman” represents a turning point for Warner Bros. and DC Comics, which have together struggled in recent years to match the Marvel-Disney juggernaut. While “Wonder Woman” didn’t match the box-office might of “Batman v. Superman” (a $166 million opening) or “Suicide Squad” ($133.7 million), it was much better-received than those roundly derided releases.

Last week’s top film, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” slid dramatically to $21.6 million in its second week. It landed in third place, behind Fox’s “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.” The animated release, in which a pair of students makes their principal think he’s a superhero by hypnotizing him, opened with $23.5 million.

But “Pirates” still sails well overseas. It’s made $386.6 million internationally, driving the Disney sequel to more than $500 million globally.

CLAY ENOS / WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT Gal Gadot in a scene from “Wonder Woman,” which became the biggest blockbuster directed by a woman.