Wonder Woman could lasso herself a cool $175 million box office weekend—$75 million in the US and $100 internationally. If predictions are correct, this would be the top-grossing female superhero movie of all time—not bad for a marketing campaign that relied on subtlety—albeit at an estimated total between $125 million to $150 million in spending.
Compared to other DC films such as Suicide Squad, fans and marketers wondered if Warner Bros. was skimping on Gal Gadot’s full-length super debut. When speaking at Oracle’s Modern Marketing Experience in Las Vegas last month, Time Warner’s chief marketing officer Kristen O’Hara explained that the company has planned very carefully for Wonder Woman.
“We want the release of Wonder Woman in June to be a heroic moment for our company, but I think in a data-driven world the heroic marketing moments aren’t those big, huge moments,” O’Hara explained. “They’re an aggregate of tiny little moments that happen over a long period of time that help us get smarter and smarter about our customers [and] their behavior . . . in the case of Wonder Woman, this is a release that we started talking about two years ago . . . the collection of data across the entire DC franchise—whether it was video games, comic book releases, TV shows, or theatrical releases—every moment mattered to us.”
According to Fandango’s summer movies survey, Wonder Woman was selected by film fans as the season’s most anticipated blockbuster. The digital network for all things movies said that 92 percent of people polled are excited to see a standalone female superhero movie, 87 percent wish Hollywood would make more movies featuring female superheroes and 73 percent watched the Wonder Woman TV show when they were kids.
Despite actually spending more than they did on Suicide Squad, Warner Bros.’ marketing for the film has certainly relied on those “tiny little moments.” from teaser trailers to movie posters that held Wonder Woman front and center without a long list of celebrity names. Gal Gadot, the Israeli supermodel who portrays Diana Prince in Wonder Woman, has personally marketed the character since she was cast in Batman vs. Superman—speaking about the character’s strengths and how she has prepared for the role. She even gave late-night host Conan O’Brien a few workout tips.
Lynda Carter, the actress who portrayed Wonder Woman on TV in the seventies celebrated the heroine’s return with a tie-in promo for Super Girl—another DC Comics franchise—in which she plays President Olivia Marsdin.
The world premiere was broadcast live from iHeartMusic’s Facebook page and special women-only screenings were hosted across the country by Alamo Drafthouse. Those attending the US premiere in Wonder Woman costumes had a chance to receive special seating on the carpet.
Wonder Woman‘s premiere coincides with the 75th anniversary of DC Comic’s most iconic heroine. The publisher celebrated with comics, articles, videos, merchandise and a US Forever postage stamp, just to name a few.
The premiere also coincides with the release of Injustice 2, the fighter game that pits DC comic book heroes against one another. Warner Bros. has introduced Wonder Woman events in the game, including her costume as it appears in the film.
Speaking of games, a new 16-bit game on Snapchat allows players to control Diana on the battlefield and unlock a Wonder Woman lens.
Become a hero and play the #WonderWoman 16-Bit Game, now available on @Snapchat! https://t.co/lUCzCoGdK8 pic.twitter.com/MNEHp38mny
— Wonder Woman 1984 (@WonderWomanFilm) May 31, 2017
Warner Bros. kept the celebration going through a fan art sweepstakes and sponsored hashtag.
Experience the wonder from artists around the world for #FanArtFriday. Submit your own at https://t.co/QYbFQ5fS6z now! #WonderWoman pic.twitter.com/0IBN9A9LgU
— Wonder Woman 1984 (@WonderWomanFilm) May 27, 2017
According to the Los Angeles Times, Warner Bros. is also “teaming with brands and retailers for clothes and accessories such as Betsey Johnson backpacks, Alex & Ani charm bracelets and Nanette Lepore watches featuring the famed double W insignia. Pieces from designers such as Louis Vuitton and Versace will be displayed and auctioned for charity at a June 7 event in Paris.”
“There is a pent-up appetite for seeing a female hero with the strength that Wonder Woman has,” Diane Nelson, president of DC Entertainment told the newspaper. “People are ready for it.”