A recent study analyzing nearly 200,000 films released between 1994 and 2023 has found that movies written and directed by women tend to generate higher profits compared to those led by male filmmakers, despite typically receiving smaller production budgets. The research, published by Frontiers in Communication, highlights a persistent discrepancy in the allocation of resources within the film industry.
According to the study, films with a female screenwriter but a male director showed a 34 percent higher median profit than productions involving only male writers and directors. Films both written and directed by women achieved similar median returns while operating on roughly half the budget of their male-led counterparts. Despite this, the research noted that all films within the top 1 percent of production budgets over the past three decades were directed by men.
High-profile examples of commercially successful films by women include “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” written by Aline Brosh McKenna, and “Barbie,” co-written and directed by Greta Gerwig, which grossed more than £1 billion in 2023. Animated blockbusters like “Frozen” and “Frozen II,” penned by Jennifer Lee, along with the 2019 superhero film “Captain Marvel,” co-written by Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Anna Boden, and Ryan Fleck, also exemplify the financial success of women’s contributions to major studio projects.
The study did not specifically investigate the reasons behind the smaller budgets allocated to women filmmakers but referenced broader industry tendencies. Anja Huwiler, lead author and a researcher at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, suggested that decision-makers’ preference for reducing uncertainty and risk often leads to favouring familiar names and established practices, perpetuating the existing status quo despite evidence pointing to the profitability of films created by women.
The report also acknowledged the role of the MeToo movement since 2017 in increasing women’s participation in the industry but stressed that achieving gender parity still faces significant obstacles. Prominent filmmakers have shared their perspectives on these challenges. Chloe Zhao, who co-wrote the Oscar-nominated adaptation of "Hamnet" with author Maggie O’Farrell, remarked that the film industry is not structured to nurture “feminine leadership.” Similarly, director Olivia Wilde, known for films such as “Booksmart” and “The Invite,” has described the environment as characterised by a “hellfire of misogyny.”
Industry advocates welcomed the study’s findings. Katie Bailiff, chief executive of Women in Film & TV (UK), noted that the results confirmed what many already understand: supporting women in filmmaking is not only ethical but also economically advantageous. The research underscores continuing calls within the industry for equitable budgeting and increased opportunities for women to lead major projects.