Los Angeles: Patty Jenkins´s "Wonder Woman" smashed the superhero glass ceiling in its opening weekend, earning $103 million at the North American box office, the biggest debut for a female director, industry figures showed Monday.
The Warner Bros. and DC Comics film starring Gal Gadot is the first female-led superhero movie directed by a woman.
The film had also fared well worldwide earning $120 million, the studio said.
Jenkins edged out the previous record held by "Fifty Shades of Grey" director Sam Taylor-Johnson, whose film had an $85.2 million opening.
"We´re incredibly proud of ´Wonder Woman´ and thrilled that it has resonated with critics and moviegoers everywhere," Sue Kroll, head of marketing and distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures, said in a statement.
Coming in second at the box office was another new release, "Captain Underpants," which took in $23.9 million, according to Exhibitor Relations.
The Fox film is based on a popular series of children´s books by Dav Pilkey that tells the story of two students who use hypnosis to persuade the school´s principal he is a superhero.
In third place was Disney´s "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales," the fifth installment in the popular franchise starring Johnny Depp. It took in $22.1 million.
In fourth was another Disney production, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," at $9.8 million. The lighthearted story of a band of misfit space adventurers -- played by Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel -- has taken in $355.6 million domestically since it opened on May 5.
"Baywatch," a Paramount production starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron in a story about deeply tanned and ridiculously fit California lifeguards who uncover a murky criminal plot, placed fifth at $8.7 million.
Rounding out the top 10 were:
"Alien: Covenant" ($4.1 million)
"Everything, Everything" ($3.3 million)
"Snatched" ($1.3 million)
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul" ($1.3 million)
"King Arthur: Legend of the Sword" ($1.2 million)
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