Gender-Inclusive Films Outperform at the Box Office, Study Finds

ReFrame, a joint initiative by Sundance Institute and WIF (formerly Women In Film Los Angeles), aims to promote gender equity in the screen industries. The organization introduced the ReFrame Stamp, which is awarded to films with gender-balanced teams, including production, crew, and actors. According to a new study by IMDbPro, films with gender-balanced teams tend to perform well at the box office.

Box Office Success of ReFrame Stamped Films

The study found that ReFrame Stamped films within the top 100 at the worldwide box office earned an average of more than double the non-Stamped movies on the list, with $293 million gross vs. $117.8 million. Inside Out 2 and Barbie, both Stamped films with female leads, topped the year’s domestic and worldwide box offices.

Top Films of 2024 Have Gender-Balanced Teams

The top-grossing movie of 2024, Inside Out 2, received the ReFrame Stamp, while Wicked, another Stamped film, was the year’s No. 2 film. Three of the 2024’s Best Picture Oscar nominees also received the ReFrame Stamp: Wicked, The Substance, and Emelia Pérez.

Lower Budgets for Stamped Films

Despite their box office success, Stamped films tend to have lower budgets. The report found that films with larger budgets are less inclusive, with the proportion of Stamped films at the highest budget level of $100 million or more being half that of the lowest budget level of $15 million or less. Stamped films’ average budget plummeted by $18 million, from $63 million in 2023 to $45 million in 2024, while non-Stamped films’ average budget decreased by $8 million.

Additional Findings

• The number of women directors among the top 100 grossing films fell from 20 in 2023 to 14 in 2024, with no transgender or nonbinary directors and only five women of color.
• Women screenwriters declined 23.3%, from 30 in 2023 to 23 in 2024, with worse declines for women of color (eight in 2023 and three in 2024).
• Lead acting roles reached parity, with 51 films starring women, including one transgender woman. Of those 51 women, 17 were women of color.

Conclusion

The ReFrame study provides evidence that gender-balanced films are not only successful at the box office but also contribute to a more diverse and inclusive industry. As the film industry continues to grapple with questions about diversity, equity, and inclusion, this study suggests that promoting gender equity can be an effective way to achieve better outcomes.

FAQs

• What is the ReFrame Stamp?
  The ReFrame Stamp is a designation given to films with gender-balanced teams, including production, crew, and actors.
• What is the purpose of the ReFrame initiative?
  The purpose of the ReFrame initiative is to promote gender equity in the screen industries and to encourage the inclusion of women and other underrepresented groups in the film industry.
• What are the criteria for earning the ReFrame Stamp?
  The criteria for earning the ReFrame Stamp include having a gender-balanced team, including a minimum of 30% female representation in key positions, such as directors, writers, and producers.
• How many ReFrame Stamped films are there?
  According to the study, half of the top-grossing films in 2024 were ReFrame Stamped films.