- Female protagonists in films reached gender parity with male protagonists for the fist time in recent history in 2024. They had the same share of the top grossing films for the year.
- Females also saw more speaking roles and significant characters in 2024.
- About 54% of the top 100 movies featured women or girl protagonists, according to the annual Annenberg Inclusion Initiative study.
Full Story
The blockbuster movies of 2024 not only broke box office records but featured female leads just as much as they did male leads, making 2024 a big year for women.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 37%
Center 58%
Right 5%
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More females in film
Of the 100 top-grossing films of 2024, 42% featured female protagonists, exactly on par with another 42% featuring male protagonists, according to a newly released study from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. The other 16% were featured ensemble casts.
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The same study also found small, but not negligible, growth for female characters in other roles.
For example, female characters saw more speaking roles, up from 35% in 2023 to 37% in 2024. The percentage of major female characters rose one point from 38% in 2023 to 39% in 2024.
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Women taking the lead
The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative also released its annual study this week. It found that 54% of the top 100 films in 2024 featured girls and women as protagonists.
That’s a considerable jump from 2023, when less than a third (30%) of films featured women in lead roles.
[CRAIG NIGRELLI]
20-24’S BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE NOT ONLY BROKE BOX OFFICE RECORDS – THEY FEATURED FEMALE LEADS JUST AS MUCH AS THEY DID MALE LEADS.
OF THE 100 TOP-GROSSING FILMS OF 20-24… 42 PERCENT FEATURED FEMALE PROTAGONISTS…
EXACTLY ON PAR WITH ANOTHER 42 PERCENT FEATURING MALE PROTAGONISTS.
THE OTHER 16 PERCENT WERE FEATURED ENSEMBLE CASTS.
THAT’S ACCORDING TO A NEWLY-RELEASED STUDY FROM THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF WOMEN IN TELEVISION AND FILM AT SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY.
THE SAME STUDY ALSO FOUND SMALL – BUT NOT NEGLIGIBLE – GROWTH FOR FEMALE CHARACTERS IN OTHER WAYS.
FOR EXAMPLE – FEMALE CHARACTERS HAD MORE SPEAKING ROLES… UP FROM 35 PERCENT IN 20-23 TO 37 PERCENT IN 20-24.
AND THE PERCENTAGE OF MAJOR FEMALE CHARACTERS ROSE ONE POINT… FROM 38 PERCENT IN 20-23 TO 39 PERCENT IN 20-24.
THE U-S-C ANNENBERG INCLUSION INITIATIVE ALSO RELEASED ITS ANNUAL STUDY THIS WEEK.
IT FOUND 54 PERCENT OF THE TOP 100 FILMS IN 20-24 FEATURED GIRLS AND WOMEN AS PROTAGONISTS – A HUGE JUMP FROM 20-23, WHEN LESS THAN A THIRD OF FILMS FEATURED WOMEN IN LEAD ROLES.
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Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 37%
Center 58%
Right 5%
Bias Summary
- 2024 marks a historic moment as female-led films matched male-led films at 42% each among the top 100 highest-grossing domestic films, according to Deadline.
- Three of the top five highest-grossing domestic films in 2024 were led by women, with "Wicked" becoming the highest-grossing live-action film led by women.
- The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative reported that 54% of the top 100 films featured girls and women as protagonists, a significant increase from 30% the previous year.
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
emphasize the historic achievement of gender equality in films through the term “parity,” framing this as a long-awaited milestone.
Media outlets in the center
highlight the significant quantitative increase in female-led films and cites specific titles, such as “Wicked,” establishing a celebratory tone.
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Bias Distribution
28 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
28
Leaning Left
7
Center
11
Leaning Right
1
Last Updated
1 month ago
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