With "Ghostbusters" Women Take the Lead at the Movies

But with women buying 50 of all movie tickets in the US last year according to the MPAA Iamp8217m happy to say itamp8217s just the latest example of a trend that is putting women in the driveramp8217s seat and in the theater seats for big Hollywood filmsWe can trace the shifting sands back to 2011amp160 The amp8220Twilightamp8221 series was already a juggernaut with young women when two unassuming femaleled films amp8211 amp8220Bridesmaidsamp8221 and amp8220The Helpamp8221 amp8211 took Hollywood by stormamp160 Both movies had an impressive finish in the yearly standings just under amp8220Captain America The First Avengeramp8221 and very much ahead of other malecentric studio films such as amp8220XMen First Classamp8221 amp8220Green Lanternamp8221 amp8220Cowboys ampamp Aliensamp8221 and amp8220The Green Hornetamp8221amp8220Bridesmaidsamp8221 and amp8220The Helpamp8221 couldnamp8217t have been more different from one another in story and tonality but each drove virtually the same box office 169MM proving there was a real appetite for movies with female casts amp160amp8220The Helpamp8221 went on to be nominated for Best Picture in the Academy Awards while The Bridesmaids Effect became the new term to define the moment when Hollywood began to recognize an underserved market of female moviegoersAnd then came the amp8220Hunger Gamesamp8221 franchise with its strong female lead and supporting characters The first amp8220Hunger Gamesamp8221 movie blew the doors off the box office bringing in 408MMamp160 The following year amp8220Hunger Games Catching Fireamp8221 was true to its title breaking records and finding itself atop the heap as the No 1 film of the year 424MMWhile Paul Feig director of amp8220Bridesmaidsamp8221 and the new amp8220Ghostbustersamp8221 continued to set the tone for femaledriven summer comedies with amp8220The Heatamp8221 and amp8220Spyamp8221 amp8220Trainwreckamp8221 and amp8220Sistersamp8221 also joined the fun and we saw a wide variety of other genres explored as well with the amp8220Pitch Perfectamp8221 and amp8220Divergentamp8221 franchises amp8220Fifty Shades of Greyamp8221 amp8220Cinderellaamp8221 amp8220Lucyamp8221 amp8220Snow White and the Huntsmanamp8221 and moreamp160 And it was surprising and sensational that amp8220Mad Max Fury Roadamp8221 boasted such a strong female story and a hero for the ages in Charlize Theronamp8217s Imperator Furiosa who was as important to the story as Max himself if not more soAnd of course what discussion of recent hits would be complete without amp8220Star Warsamp8221 Last year amp8220Star Wars The Force Awakensamp8221 introduced a new female hero in Rey Daisy Ridley while General Leia Organa formerly Princess Leia was dynamic as both a leader and a motheramp160Broadening the movieamp8217s box office appeal by having such a strong draw for women and such viable role models for young girls was certainly a factor in its gargantuan successamp160 It is now the highgrossing movie of all time with over 936MM in domestic box office aloneamp160 The upcoming amp8220Rogue One A Star Wars Movieamp8221 also sets its story around a female lead Felicity Jones who along with others in the Rebel Alliance steals the plans for the Death Star making this a de facto prequel to the 1977 original amp8220Star Warsamp8221 movieamp160 Thatamp8217s two backtoback leading females in amp8220Star Warsamp8221 movies amp8211 not bad and not going unnoticed by female audiencesWithin this context an allfemale amp8220Ghostbustersamp8221 might seem less surprising and in fact very timely as interest in and from female moviegoers gathers speedamp160 Weamp8217re certainly seeing the results here at National CineMedia NCM as our Millennial women 1834 movie audience jumped 61 from 2013 to 2016 while women 1849 also increased by 42amp160 Also NCMamp8217s ratings for women 1834 jumped from 62 to 92 against the top 15 television networksamp160 Thatamp8217s a 48 surge in ratings growth since 2014 with significant increases year over yearThis momentum is great news for brands looking to reach women at the movies and Hollywood is doing its part by continuing to develop more femalecentric content including the hilarious amp8220Bad Momsamp8221 later this month amp160In 2017 look out for a highlyanticipated live action version of amp8220Beauty and the Beastamp8221 the comedy amp8220MotherDaughteramp8221 starring Amy Schumer possibly joined by Goldie Hawn in her first movie since 2002 amp8220Fast 8amp8221 featuring Charlize Theron making waves as the sole villain and more And looking even farther ahead there are allfemale versions of amp8220Oceanamp8217s Elevenamp8221 and amp822021 Jump Streetamp8221 in the works a remake of the cult favorite amp8220Road Houseamp8221 with Ronda Rousey in the role made iconic by Patrick Swayze and a girlpower spinoff of amp8220Suicide Squadamp8221 featuring many of the female heroes and villains of DC ComicsHollywood is calling millions of female moviegoers with stories and characters that truly speak to them and women are answering especially Millennialsamp160 So if women are also your target audience amp8220Who you gonna callamp8221The opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet management or associated bloggersamp160

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With "Ghostbusters" Women Take the Lead at the Movies

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Rebecca Eldridge

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With "Ghostbusters" Women Take the Lead at the Movies

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Rebecca Eldridge

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