WONDER WOMAN Makes History As One Of The Few Female-Directed Films With A $100 Million + Budget

The upcoming Wonder Woman film has had plenty of buzz after a mostly positive reception to the character upon the release of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. Not only will Wonder Woman be the first female-led superhero movie in over twelve years, but it has also set a new milestone, joining the club as one of the few films with a $100 million budget to be helmed by a female director (in this case Patty Jenkins). Other movies on this list include K-19: The Widowmaker (directed by Kathryn Bigelow) and Jupiter Ascending and Cloud Atlas (co-directed by Lana Wachowski).

The DCEU adaptation was discussed at the Cannes Film Festival, featuring Athena Film Festival’s artistic director Melissa Silverstein and European Women’s Audiovisual Network head of research and PR Francine Raveney, who discussed the state of women in film as part of Variety and Kering’s Women in Motion chat. “We have our first female superhero movie coming out in 2017, Wonder Woman. I'm excited for that," said Silverstein. "It’s the first movie that a woman has directed -- a live-action movie -- with a $100 million budget. First. Its gonna be good.” The last female-led superhero film was 2005's Elektra, starring Jennifer Garner as the title character. Silverstein said that buying tickets to female-led films is akin to voting. "It's like voting with your dollars," she said. "If you don't support women, it's going to have an effect on the ability for women to continue to have access to the marketplace."

Needless to say, this is pretty great news; a CBM featuring a pivotal female character like Wonder Woman is sure to open a lot of doors for films focused on female superheroes going forward. Be sure to watch the full chat below. Wonder Woman is set for release on June 2, 2017. Are you excited? Sound off below!