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PHOTO: WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Why You Should See 'Wonder Woman' On Opening Weekend
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May 28, 2017

Do you have plans next weekend?

I do. I'm going to see Wonder Woman and Women in Film (WIF) hopes you will to.

WIF, a nonprofit working to support and expand the reach of women in the entertainment industry has created the #WonderWknd campaign encouraging everyone to see Wonder Woman during its opening weekend, June 2-3.

"Wonder Woman is an action-packed tale of female empowerment, directed by the unstoppable Patty Jenkins," writes WIF.

"Join forces to help Wonder Woman reach her destiny as a box office warrior in the big leagues. Together, we can catapult Wonder Woman to an incredible opening weekend—blazing a trail for female superheroes and their stories for years to come."

Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot and director Patty Jenkins. Image via Women In Film

Because unfortunately, that trail still needs blazing. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, movie studios still operate under the incorrect assumption that women don't see movies.

They don't create films with female-centric storylines because they think women don't want to see them. They don't give big budget films to women to direct because they think they can't create commercial hits.

For those reasons, there is a huge amount of pressure on Wonder Woman to make a killing at the box office.

Basically, how well the film does will dictate whether movie studios make more big-budget blockbusters with female protagonists at their center as well as whether or not they place female directors at their helm.

"In the top grossing movies in 2016, 29 percent percent of lead roles and 4 percent of directors, were female," WIF Executive Director Kirsten Schaffer tells Spring St.

"Hollywood is a business that responds to box office. If Wonder Woman does well opening weekend, it sets a precedent for female-centered action films and female directors and we’ll see more of these stories on screens soon."

To all of those that are thinking, supporting women is all well and good, but ugh, another DC movie, I hear you.

After I saw Suicide Squad I told myself I wasn't going to see another DC Comics movie. That movie hurt me, but as early reviews are starting to come out, it appears as if Wonder Woman is going to be something different.

Something good.

Though full reviews are still under embargo, critics and members of the press who have seen the film are allowed to share overall impressions on social media.

So, if you're like me and want to watch an fun movie and ensure you see more movies for, about, and by women in the future consider committing to WIF's campaign here.

Then on the opening weekend, grab your friends, your co-workers, anyone you might even tangentially know and head to the movies to see Wonder Woman. Then, tweet or Instagram a photo of you all using the hashtags #WonderWknd and #WonderWoman to get your followers excited as well.

Image via Women In Film

Pre-sale tickets are already on sale at AMC, Arclight, and Fandango, And, if you're in Austin, Texas, consider heading over the Alamo Drafthouse, where a special women-only screening is taking place. A screening that is pissing off a lot of pissy men.

A screening that has proved so popular with ladies, that the theater has added a second showing.

So grab your friends, and I'll see you all next weekend during #WonderWknd.

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