2024 is a Significant Year for Female Representation in Entertainment – Gender equality in the entertainment industry has been slowly improving for a while now, but perhaps it was the release of Barbie in 2023 that really set the stage for a memorable 2024.
Things are Changing in the Entertainment Sector
An interesting development in Hollywood is the prominent introduction of new female characters into established cinematic universes. An example of this would be Dr. Smith – Lost in Space. Jonathan Harris originally played the villain in the movie but in the Netflix adaptation, you have Parker Posey, who adds a unique spin to the classic portrayal of the character. Novels by Thomas Harris have also undergone screen adaptations in the past. Dr. Alan Bloom is a forensic scientist but in the movie by Bryan Fuller, he reimagines the story, starring Caroline Dhavernas as Alana Bloom. Freddy Lounds is also a tabloid journalist but is played by Lara Jean Chorostecki.
But it’s not just the film sector that’s changing, the gaming sector is undergoing a monumental shift too. Women make up 48% of players across the world, and this is being noticed by organisations. For example, competitive gaming is seeing an increasing representation of female commentators; and if you download the best bingo app, you’ll notice that live bingo events are often hosted by women and that there are even games like Galactic Girls and Girl with the Golden Eyes. Most new video game releases with big budgets are tailored to male player bases, but perhaps 2024 will see a big studio put their resources into a title aimed at captivating a female audience.
More Women are Working as Directors and Producers
When you look at the film sector, we’re not just seeing more women directors and strong female leads, we’re also seeing a rise in female graphic designers, storytellers, executive producers and composers. 2019 marked a historic shift for Hollywood, with the number of women working in film reaching a record high. Some of the directors to watch include Jess Brownwell, who has worked on the hit show Bridgerton. After working on numerous series such as Inventing Anna and Scandal, she decided to move into directing. She’s also been worked on the prequel, Queen Charlotte: Bridgerton Story. Francesca Sloane, who worked on Swarm and Atlanta with Donald Glover, has also stepped into directing. She’s worked on the show Mr. and Mrs. Smith, after inking a huge deal with Amazon Movie Studios.
We’ve seen an exciting start to 2024, with a wide array of strong female leads, such as Drive-Away Dolls that stars upcoming women in the acting industry, and you also have Lisa Frankenstein, a new comedy-horror which was released this year.
This positive movement is amazing to see, and this year could well be a pivotal turning point for Hollywood and the entertainment sector as a whole. As time goes on, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the more and more women expand into the film sector, across different genres. With recent advancements and changes, the future has never been brighter for women who work in entertainment.
Poppy Watt