The Warner Bros. superhero flick “Wonder Woman 1984” opened in 32 markets around the world this weekend, bringing in US$38.5 million in box-office receipts just ahead of what will be an unorthodox debut in the U.S.

The movie, starring Gal Gadot in the title role, will open in nine more regions this week, including Australia and South Korea, according to a statement Sunday from Comscore Inc.

The movie will appear in U.S. theaters on Christmas Day, with a simultaneous debut on the in-home streaming platform HBO Max. The controversial strategy is a response to the pandemic, which has kept theaters closed or nearly empty, as well as an attempt to promote the fledgling service. Only 34 per cent of North American theaters are open now, according to Comscore.

Christopher Nolan’s twisty action thriller “Tenet” -- also from AT&T Inc.’s Warner Bros. -- opened solely in theaters earlier this year, and its tepid U.S. box office was a factor in the studio changing its approach with “Wonder Woman.” “Tenet” grossed US$380,000 this weekend in 38 markets including the U.S. and Canada, for a cumulative total of $362.2 million.

“Monster Hunter,” which debuted this weekend from Sony Corp., took the top U.S. box-office spot, with US$2.2 million in ticket sales at more than 1,700 locations.