Over the last few years there has been a lot more talk about ladies leading movies both in front of and behind the cameras. In 2019, women actually directed more of the popular movies that came out in any year prior, tackling 12 of the top 100-grossing films. The next year will keep pushing into that territory, with five of the biggest budget movies being helmed by ladies.
At the tail end of 2019, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women beat box office estimations and has already earned a whopping $60 million domestically and $80 million worldwide in its first couple of weekends in theaters. Heading into 2020, though, there are some even bigger female-directed movies that should be on your radar. You can take a look at 5 of the most anticipated movies of 2020 that will be directed by women, below.
Birds Of Prey Directed By Cathy Yan
Release Date: February 7, 2020
Birds of Prey, more formally titled Birds of Prey: And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn, will be DC’s first venture in 2020 and the first movie from the studio to come after Todd Phillips’ heavily screened Joker movie. The movie stars Margot Robbie reprising her popular character, and brings in a few other new leading ladies like Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell and Rosie Perez.
Everything You Need To Know About The Birds Of Prey Movie
Mulan Directed By Niki Caro
Release Date: March 27, 2020
Let’s get down to business, to… talk about Disney’s next live action remake, which will neither be a musical and is missing the indestructible Mushu in its first trailer. That said, don’t fret because at least this version of Mulan from Niki Caro is doing its own thing and not trying to straight up mimic the 1998 animated classic.
Everything You Need To Know About Disney’s Live Action Mulan
Eternals Directed By Chloe Zhao
Release Date: November 6, 2020
Chloe Zhao’s Eternals may not be the most well-known Marvel property, but it does have a huge leg up thanks to its intriguing cast. We’re talking Angelina Jolie, first and foremost, but the flick also has Salma Hayek, Gemma Chan, Game of Thrones’ Richard Madden and Kumail Nanjiani, who has been in everything over the past couple of years. The Eternals are immortal aliens who should bring a lot to the cosmic side of Marvel’s Phase Four.
Everything You Need To Know About Kevin Feige’s Eternals Confirmation
Black Widow Directed By Cate Shortland
Release Date: May 1, 2020
Another of Marvel’s big outings this year will follow some leading ladies and feature a female director in Cate Shortland. Black Widow’s solo movie has been a long time coming, as Scarlett Johansson’s character has long been a popular figure in the MCU. Given what happened in Avengers: Endgame, this prequel story should give us a real chance to see Natasha Romanova in action and outside the realm of an ensemble movie at least once before she forever lives on in our memories.
Everything You Need To Know About Black Widow’s Solo Movie
Wonder Woman 1984 Directed By Patty Jenkins
Release Date: June 5, 2020
As a sequel starring a popular DC comics character, it’s no real surprise that Patty Jenkins’ WW1984 is topping this list of anticipated 2020 movies. Gal Gadot will also be back reprising the character and unlike the other non-sequel movies on this list Patty Jenkins also helmed the first flick, so this is her second round at bat on a superheroine film. There’s lots to look forward to, including the mysterious return of Steve Trevor, and thanks to cool marketing so far, fans have been pumped.
Everything You Need To Know About Wonder Woman 1984
Of the 10 most anticipated movies of 2020, according to a list by Fandango, half will be led by women. It’s also worth pointing out that the top four movies on the list of 10 were female-directed and include everything on the list above except for Birds of Prey, which landed in 7th place.
Leading the sea change were the two major superhero studios at Disney/Marvel and Warner Bros./DC. Two Marvel flicks and two DC flicks are being led by female directors just this year.
The full list was 10. Fast and Furious 9. 9. Pixar’s Soul, 8. In The Heights, 7.Birds of Prey, 6. A Quiet Place Part II, 5. No Time To Die (the new Bond film), 4.Mulan, 3. Eternals, 2.Black Widow, 1. Wonder Woman 1984. Some other big movies, like Jungle Cruise and Halloween Kills didn’t make this list but popped up on lists like “Most Anticipated Horror Films” or “Most Anticipated Family Films.”
Obviously, there are plenty of other movies being directed by ladies that don’t have the leg up a bigger budget brings them. You can take a look at all of the upcoming films, whether or not they be big or small or directed by women, with our full 2020 movies schedule.
