Two Wonder Women are set to deliver keynotes at the the upcoming third annual Women in Entertainment Summit: record-breaking “Wonder Woman” helmer herself, Patty Jenkins, and Oscar-winning actress Geena Davis, the founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. Deadline reports that the Summit will take place in LA November 2 and “gathers women and men who are dedicated to celebrating the empowerment of women in all areas of the entertainment industry.” The event sees those working across film, television, and sports coming together for keynotes, panel discussions, and Q&A chats working towards gender equality across media.
“The summit is designed to address a range of issues that affect women; topics include the rise of women’s leadership, how storytelling can impact social change, and empowering the next generation of women creatives,” the source writes.
Jenkins made box office history with “Wonder Woman.” The Gal Gadot-led superhero film has grossed over $821 million worldwide, making it the highest grossing live-action film ever directed by a woman. Jenkins has signed on to co-write and direct the sequel, currently dated for December 13, 2019. Her deal to continue Diana Prince’s story, said to be in the high seven figures, somewhere in the $7 million to $9 million range with considerable backend of revenue, makes her the highest-paid female filmmaker ever. Her other credits include “Monster” and episodes of “Arrested Development” and “The Killing.”
Davis won an Oscar in 1989 for “The Accidental Tourist” and received a nod in 1992 for “Thelma & Louise,” the latter of which is widely recognized as a game-changing film for its depiction of female characters. She founded the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media in 2004 “to engage, educate, and influence content creators, marketers, and audiences about the importance of eliminating unconditional bias, highlighting gender balance, challenging stereotypes, creating role models, and scripting a wide variety of strong female characters in entertainment and media that targets and influences children ages 11 and under,” according to the non-profit’s website.
Other attendees at this year’s summit include “13th” director Ava DuVernay, “Lady Bird” writer-director Greta Gerwig, “Mudbound” co-writer-director Dee Rees, and DreamWorks Animation head of Television Margie Cohn.
