Female Screenwriters Linked to Higher Film Profits, New Study Finds

Some of Hollywood’s biggest box office successes in recent years, including Barbie and Avatar: The Way of Water, shared a notable common factor: women played key roles in the screenwriting process.

Now, a new academic study suggests that films involving female screenwriters may deliver stronger financial returns than productions written exclusively by men, despite often receiving smaller budgets.

The study, Women in Directing and Screenwriting: The Capital Allocation Puzzle in Commercial Film, analyzed 30 years of commercial film data, covering both theatrical and non-theatrical releases. Researchers found that movies written by women, but not directed by them, generated significantly higher median profits compared with films where both writing and directing roles were held exclusively by men.

The findings come as films such as Barbie, directed and co-written by Greta Gerwig, and Avatar: The Way of Water, co-written by Amanda Silver, have demonstrated the commercial power of female creative leadership. Barbie earned approximately US$1.45 billion at the global box office, while Avatar: The Way of Water generated more than US$2.3 billion, making it one of the highest-grossing films in cinema history.

Researchers argue that the data challenges long-held assumptions about investment risk in film production and suggests the industry may be overlooking profitable opportunities by underfunding projects involving women.

As conversations about diversity and representation continue across the entertainment industry, the study adds fresh evidence that expanding opportunities for women behind the camera may not only improve representation but also boost financial performance.