Rey, Belle, and Diana Prince are 2017’s box office heroines. “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Wonder Woman” are officially the top three highest-grossing domestic films of last year. According to TheWrap, it’s been 59 years since female-led films “swept the podium at the box office.” In 1958, the top earners were “South Pacific,” “Auntie Mame,” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.”
It’s a common misconception that women-centric films don’t draw big audiences. What’s important to bear in mind is that blockbusters typically dominate the top spots at the box office — and most blockbusters don’t center on female characters. “The Last Jedi,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Wonder Woman” all had production budgets of well over $100 million. Each went on to gross more than $400 million, and that’s at the domestic box office alone. If more high-profile, big budget movies about women were made, we’d see more of them on the highest-grossing lists they’re too often absent from. (The same applies to women-directed films, and those starring women of color.)
Of the three films, just one is helmed by a woman — “Wonder Woman,” which is officially the highest-grossing live-action woman-directed film ever. Patty Jenkins has signed on to helm the sequel, and the deal makes her the highest-paid female filmmaker ever.
Daisy Ridley, Emma Watson, and Gal Gadot, the respective stars of “The Last Jedi,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Wonder Woman,” have all spoken out about sexism in Hollywood. Ridley called out “Star Wars” fans for describing her as the worst lead in the franchise and the worst kind of Mary Sue, Watson ensured that Belle got a feminist makeover in the live-action “Beauty and the Beast” and has addressed the lack of opportunities for women directors, and Gadot has talked about women being underrepresented in film.
Check out just how much the films have grossed below. (Data from Box Office Mojo as of January 2, 2018.)
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”
Domestic: $533,089,228 50.5%+ Foreign: $523,300,000 49.5%
= Worldwide: $1,056,389,228
“Beauty and the Beast”
Domestic: $504,014,165 39.9%+ Foreign: $759,506,961 60.1%
= Worldwide: $1,263,521,126
“Wonder Woman”
Domestic: $412,563,408 50.2%+ Foreign: $409,283,604 49.8%
= Worldwide: $821,847,012
