A Sharp Decline in Female Directors in Hollywood
A recent study by the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative has revealed a concerning trend in the film industry. According to the study, which analyzed the 100 highest-grossing films of 2025, the number of female directors has hit a seven-year low. Only nine films were directed by women, accounting for 8.1% of the total filmmakers involved. This represents a 13.4% drop from 2024, with the last time a lower figure being recorded in 2018, when only 4.5% of directors were female.
Underrepresented Groups in the Film Industry
The study also found that 24.3% of the directors of the 100 highest-grossing films of 2025 belong to underrepresented racial groups, a number substantially equal to that of 2024 (24.1%). However, among these, only 5.4% are women of color, with a total of six directors. Notably, all of this year’s directors of color were Asian, with no black, Hispanic, Latina, Native American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, or North African directors represented. Despite this, women of color represent only 1.9% of all top-grossing directors over the past 19 years, despite their films receiving higher ratings on average than white and black filmmakers.
Industry Response and Findings
Dr. Stacey L. Smith, the creator and author of the annual study, notes that “the 2025 data shows that the progress for female directors has been temporary.” She explains that the results are determined by executive decisions made long before the bans on DEI policies came into force, with many films being greenlit and in pre-production ahead of the 2024 election. Smith also highlights that “it’s clear that when it comes to directors, decisions about who to cast are not made solely on the basis of ability.” The study’s findings demonstrate that the quality of films made by women of color is not only overlooked but actively ignored.
Studio Representation and Streaming Platforms
Among the major studios, Disney hired the most female directors for 2025 films, while Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., and Lionsgate did not have a single female director at the helm of their major titles of the year. However, the Annenberg study does not include direct releases of films streamed on Netflix or other platforms, where representation of female directors is much higher than that of the most successful cinema releases. In 2024, for example, women represented 20.5% of Netflix film directors.
For more information on the study and its findings, visit Here