Highest-Grossing Live-Action Movies by Female Directors

Directed by Patty Jenkins, this 2017 superhero origin story became a cultural phenomenon and a major box office hit. It grossed over $821 million worldwide, proving that a female-led action film could anchor a successful blockbuster franchise within the DC Extended Universe.

While primarily an animated feature, co-directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck achieved record-breaking success with this Disney musical. It is often cited in discussions of female-led filmmaking due to its massive global revenue exceeding $1.2 billion and its significant cultural footprint.

Greta Gerwig’s live-action adaptation became a massive global hit, earning over $1.4 billion and breaking box office records for female directors. The film’s success highlights the power of female-led narratives and creative control in modern mainstream cinema.

Jon Favreau directed this photorealistic CGI remake, but it is crucial to note that no woman has directed a live-action film that grossed more than $1.4 billion. This entry serves as a benchmark, though it is excluded from the 'women directors' list as it was directed by a man.

Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, this Marvel Studios film grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide. It marked a significant milestone as the first female-led superhero film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, demonstrating the viability of women directing major franchise entries.

Co-directed by Joel Crawford, this entry is often mistakenly attributed to women due to strong female voices. However, for accuracy, this list excludes it. Instead, we highlight films like 'The Little Mermaid' live-action remake, directed by Rob Marshall, which also failed to break the $1 billion mark under female direction alone.

Directed by Phyllida Lloyd, this musical adaptation of ABBA’s songs became a surprise box office smash, grossing over $611 million worldwide. Its success demonstrated the commercial potential of female-directed musicals and paved the way for a sequel directed by the same filmmaker.

Directed by Francis Lawrence, this is a male-directed film. For female directors, 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1' and 'Part 2' were directed by Francis Lawrence as well. Jennifer Lawrence starred, but the directorial credit goes to a man. We must look to 'Wonder Woman' for higher grossing female-directed entries.

Also directed by Phyllida Lloyd, this sequel followed up the initial success of the first film. It grossed over $390 million worldwide, reinforcing the director's ability to sustain financial success with a female-led musical franchise and strong female ensemble casts.

Directed by Gary Ross, this is another male-directed entry often confused with female-led ensembles. To maintain accuracy, we look to 'Birds of Prey' directed by Cathy Yan, which grossed nearly $206 million. While successful for a R-rated DC film, it trails behind blockbuster hits like 'Wonder Woman'.

Patty Jenkins returned to direct this sequel, which faced challenges due to the pandemic. Despite mixed critical reception and hybrid release strategies, it grossed over $169 million. It highlights the complex landscape female directors face when leading major franchise continuations.

Directed by Cate Shortland, this Marvel film grossed over $379 million worldwide. As the first standalone solo film for a female Avenger, it solidified the character's place in the MCU while demonstrating the commercial draw of female-led superhero narratives outside of origin stories.

Directed by David Leitch, this is a male-directed spin-off. For female directors in action blockbusters, 'The Fate of the Furious' was also male-directed. The list remains focused on those where women held the primary directorial helm, such as 'Captain Marvel' and 'Wonder Woman'.

Directed by Niki Caro, this live-action remake grossed over $346 million globally. Despite its cultural significance and high production value, its theatrical performance was impacted by pandemic-related disruptions, yet it remains a notable entry in the canon of female-directed blockbuster adaptations.

Directed by Rob Marshall, this live-action adaptation grossed over $569 million. While highly successful, the director is male. For female-directed equivalents, 'The Little Mermaid' is often compared to 'Maleficent' directed by Robert Stromberg (male). We instead highlight 'Aladdin' or similar, but again, direction is male.

Directed by Robert Stromberg, this is a male-directed film. Angelina Jolie starred, but the directorial credit does not belong to a woman. To accurately reflect the data, we exclude this. Instead, we consider 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil' directed by Joachim Rønning and ESPen Sandberg (male).

Directed by Paul Feig, this is a male-directed reboot. The all-female cast was a major selling point, but the directorial vision came from a man. This distinction is critical for this specific ranking. Female directors with similar scope include Patty Jenkins and Greta Gerwig, whose films grossed significantly more.

Directed by Cathy Yan, this DC Comics adaptation grossed nearly $206 million worldwide. It proved that female directors could handle gritty, R-rated superhero action, though its box office was modest compared to PG-13 blockbusters like 'Wonder Woman'. It remains a significant milestone for diverse representation.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve, this is a male-directed epic. To keep the list accurate, we focus on 'Dune' which was also male-directed. The highest-grossing female-directed films remain 'Barbie', 'Captain Marvel', and 'Wonder Woman'. Future projects by women like 'Avatar 3' may change this landscape.

Directed by James Cameron, this is the highest-grossing film of all time, but the director is male. This underscores the disparity in box office totals for female directors. Current leaders like 'Barbie' and 'Captain Marvel' are monumental successes relative to the number of female-led blockbusters released.