Alamo Drafthouse movie theaters have been stirring up controversy leading up to Wonder Woman’s June 2 premiere. The popular Texas-based chain announced recently that it would be holding special women-only screenings of the highly anticipated DC film, and some particularly vocal denizens of cyberspace are not having it.
“Apologies, gentlemen, but we’re embracing our girl power and saying ‘No Guys Allowed’ for several special shows,” says the chain’s website. “And when we say ‘People Who Identify As Women Only,’ we mean it. So lasso your geeky girlfriends together and grab your tickets to this celebration of one of the most enduring and inspiring characters ever created.”
Proceeds from the “Wonder Woman with Wonder Women” series will be donated to Planned Parenthood.
In this modern age where “Ladies’ Nights” at every bar across the country are still a thing, should this really be so controversial? Many social media users seemed to think so, calling the screenings “sexist.”
What these commenters fail to recognize, surely, is that top grossing superhero films featuring a female protagonist are virtually nonexistent. Wonder Woman is already racking up positive reviews, currently standing at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is important not only for DC, which has struggled to find its footing in the cinematic universe since The Dark Knight trilogy, but for the entire female community. It just is. Sorry, boys.
In response to the predictable backlash, Alamo Drafthouse has responded to the Internet “trolls” in what can only be described as the absolute best way possible: shady tweets.
When your screenings of #WonderWoman just for women sell out in an hour pic.twitter.com/rH7Mdim8fI
— Alamo Drafthouse NYC (@AlamoNYC) May 26, 2017
And my personal favorite…
— Alamo Drafthouse NYC (@AlamoNYC) May 25, 2017
In a statement to The Washington Post, Alamo Drafthouse creative manager Morgan Hendrix said, “We are very excited to present select, women-only Wonder Woman screenings at Alamo Drafthouse. That providing an experience where woman truly reign supreme has incurred the wrath of trolls only serves to deepen our belief that we’re doing something right.”
The support, it would seem, has been more overwhelming than the backlash, prompting the chain to add more women-only screenings. And if that doesn’t scream sweet, sweet justice to you, nothing ever will.
We heard your complaints have taken swift & decisive action. Another women-only #WonderWoman show on sale now! https://t.co/ILueTsJH6R pic.twitter.com/6HAuYi6fQG
— Alamo Drafthouse NYC (@AlamoNYC) May 26, 2017
Author
