Women have got to realize something:
We’re not funny…
We can’t do action…
We certainly can’t direct…
Maybe we should go truly old school and just have castrated men play all the parts? Worked in Shakespeare’s day, didn’t it?
Obviously the above is satire from my part, but it’s not satire on some corners of the Internet. When a movie does well, suddenly it’s “Oh my gosh, women can be funny!? What a good director! Amazing!” but when a movie goes bad, suddenly it’s “This is what happens when you cater to women. This was a bad female director, actor, writer, etc.” We’ve all heard the Madame Web jokes at this point.
I personally love the part where she says, “It’s Madame Webbin’ time.”
I too did not see that movie. But I probably will because I’m a glutton for punishment.
A 2024 Guardian article pointed out the discrepancy of proposed diversity and inclusion promises and what actually happened.
USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative called out the major studies who claimed they would promote more diversity in their hiring practices after 2020 as “performative.” The study didn’t show any actual progress towards pushing for that change.
Women comprised 16% of directors on the 250 top grossing films in 2023, according to the study conducted by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. That’s down from 18% the year before.
I’m sorry, down?! Aren’t we more inclusive, more diverse than ever? Nope.
Of the 116 directors attached to the 100 top grossing films of 2026, only 14 were women. Look at those numbers again. That’s 12%.
These numbers are in direct contrast to the women dominated juggernaut of 2023, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie which was a $1 billion success.
By the way, only 4 of those directors were women of color.
Diversity and inclusion are — spoiler alert — not a bad thing. I work in the Atlanta film industry. I work with some of the most diverse crews you’ll see, and yet I still see so many sets that are primarily white and/or male.
As people complain about superhero fatigue or girly movies just not appealing to mass audiences (The Marvels, Madame Webb) I want to share this piece of a statement from Dakota Johnson, the titular Madame Webb herself:
Dakota Johnson survived everything about Fifty Shades of Gray, she can surely shake this off too.
“Decisions are made by committees….art based on numbers and algorithms.” This hits hard because the shadier businessmen of Hollywood are surely looking to A.I. to pump out algorithm-satisfying garbage in order to save a buck. But for years it’s people sticking their fingers in where they probably don’t belong.
Film is a collaborative medium, and that’s a beautiful thing. I’ve seen my work in a whole new light after an editor or colorist has done their job, and I’ve seen scripts blossom through the work of careful critique and notes. Where it falls apart is when execs or producers or whoever start trying to make their mark and just doing arbitrary things they think the audience will want. Or they want. Like a giant mechanical spider in Wild, Wild West, which was originally pitched for the unproduced Superman Lives script. I don’t even have time to get into that one. Read about it here.
One of those arbitrary things is hiring someone like themselves to direct a film. Men in power tend to hire men that remind them of themselves.
This Variety article references a study about how first time directors get fewer offers, but even experienced directors are more likely to be hired if they are white and male. The stat speaks for itself:
- 4.8% of experienced directors are female. 95.2% of experienced directors are male.
- 16.3% of experienced directors are BIPOC, the rest are white.
“The results of this study are eye-opening. For underrepresented groups, there remain obstacles, structures and processes that stand in the way of getting that critical first shot. I’m encouraged that first-time directors get equal results, but they just need to be given equal opportunities,” said Dr. Yalda T. Uhls, founder of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA.
It’s 2024. The time for arguing about more inclusivity seems to be falling on deaf ears. So let’s shout it a little louder. And in the meantime, keep your mind open about who to hire on your next film. You may be surprised by the incredible artists you connect with.
Sources:
Study shows ‘catastrophic’ 10-year low for female representation in film
Giant Spiders, Giant Flops: The Enduring Awfulness of ‘Wild Wild West’
Featured Image: Greta Gerwig directing Ladybird.
Bridget LaMonica 