Despite premiering simultaneously by streaming service, “Wonder Woman 1984” starring Israeli actress Gal Gadot managed the best box office debut of the pandemic, opening with $16.7 million over the Christmas weekend, according to studio estimates cited by The Associated Press on Sunday.
The film grossed an additional $19.4 million in international markets where it began playing a week earlier, noted the report. The Patty Jenkins-directed sequel has made $85 million globally to date.
“Wonder Woman 1984” was originally scheduled to open in June, and was delayed several times due to the COVID pandemic before opening this past weekend.
The first “Wonder Woman” film was the highest-grossing movie in the summer of 2017, making $412.5 million in the U.S. and $821.8 million worldwide.
Shortly after "Wonder Woman" came out, it was banned by a Tunisian court because Gadot had defended Israel's counterterorism Operation Protective Edge on Facebook.
Lebanon also banned the film on the grounds of a long-standing boycott of Israel, while Qatar banned the movie due to Gadot's Israeli heritage.
Jordan, however, decided to allow the movie.