Films with female protagonists at highest number ever in 2016, study reveals
Women led 29 per cent of the top 100 grossing films of the year
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The number of hit films with female protagonists reached an all-time high in 2016, a new study has revealed.
Women reportedly led 29 per cent of the top 100 grossing films of the year - up 7 per cent from the year before.
Female-led films such as Ghostbusters, Bad Moms, Arrival and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story are some examples from a year that also saw a rise in women appearing in mixed cast ensembles.
Felicity Jones starred in Rogue One which earned over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, while Mila Kunis appeared in the sleeper hit Bad Moms which took over $179 million worldwide on a $20 million budget.
Martha Mauzen of The Center for the Study of Women in Film, who authored the study, said: "We have now seen over and over that female characters, when done well, they're good box office.
"It is quite possible that this is something of a quirk that we will not see repeated in the future. It is also possible that introducing female protagonists is somehow an easier, less threatening fix that hiring women directors and writers."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments