Study Shows Female-Led Movies Top Box Office At All Budget Levels

A research study conducted by the Creative Artists Agency or CAA and tech firm Shift7 show that female-led movies earn significantly more than the average of male-led films.

The study analyzed 350 films released between January 2014 and December 2017, with companies listing 105 of them as women-led in billing blocks distributor-issued final credits, or in press notes. The five budget categories include below $10 million, $10 million to $30 million, $30 million to $50 million, $50 million to $100 million, and $100+ million. Budget figures came from Gracenote-owned database Studio System. Results showed that female-fronted titles in all budget categories outgrossed male-fronted films on average.

The margin was bigger in the higher cost brackets. In the $50 million to $100 million budget category, women-led films grossed higher, averaging $318 million compared to the $243 million male-led average. The top budget category of above $100 million showed that women-led titles grossed $586 million while male-led films averaged $514 million.

The study also conducted a test of the budget of movies that passed the Bechdel Test, which has three criteria. The film should contain (1) at least two named female characters who (2) have a conversation (3) about something other than a man.

On the top budget category, female-led movies earned $618 million compared to the $413 million of non-female led titles. The study also emphasizes that all the films that earned more than $1 billion in the box office since 2012 passed the Bechdel Test. 40% of the films in the study did not pass it.

CAA and Shift7 conducted the study for the Time’s Up movement with a goal to improve the portrayal of women in film.  One of the working group’s heads and the former chairman of Sony Pictures Amy Pascal said that this study is proof that audiences want to see representation in films and Hollywood needs to pay attention to it (via Deadline). Another group leader is Shift7’s CEO and former U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith.

Time’s Up President and CEO Lisa Borders took note of the business aspect, saying that the results “offer a clear approach” as to how studios can further appeal to investors. CAA’s Christy Haubegger added that the findings now debunked the assumption that female-led films were less successful.

In 2017, the top 3 grossing films were all women-led. Wonder Woman played by Gal Gadot placed third, Beauty and the Beast led by women’s advocate Emma Watson placed second, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi taking the top with Daisy Ridley.