Marvel Movies – Not So Marvelous for Women

Earlier this week we looked at why Picture Parity didn’t recommend Black Panther despite strong female characters and a diverse cast. It scored a 3 out of 10 and we recommend you support movies that score at least a 5.

That 3/10 is double the average rating of other Marvel movies we’ve rated. In fact, that 3 actually brought up the average of Marvel movies which was a 1.5. With Black Panther, the average is now 1.65.

Of the 10 Marvel movies we’ve rated:
None had a woman lead or female director
One movie had a female writer (as part of a team) and one had a woman producer (as part of a team)

We get that Marvel characters are mostly men and that not every movie made is going to feature women to a degree that’s satisfactory.

The problem is these types of movies are the ones getting made (over and over and through numerous sequels). They’re the ones studios can produce with more likelihood of box office success. These movies are sure bets because they represent already established brands that do well domestically and internationally – an increasingly critical factor in ticket and merchandise sales.

Let’s finish with some good news. In the last few years alone, there has been progress among Marvel movies.

The newer movies are more likely to feature more than one woman in a non-starring lead role, include women of “a certain age” and better represent diversity. And, as we’ve noted, there’s a corresponding increase in ratings.

We know female superhero movies can be success – look at Wonder Woman (from the DC universe) as an example.

We urge Marvel to continue making strides in better representing women in its movies. It can use its clout to make money for itself and boost the presence of women in this genre of movies. Make it a win-win!