The query comes up every time we publish this listing (and, to wit, please get pleasure from iterations of this listing from 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017): Why solely studio films? Isn’t this IndieWire?
However right here’s the pondering: For many moviegoers and for a lot of filmmakers, helming a studio-backed movie (or, in additional IW parlance, a film you’re not promoting your personal automobile to finance) is the top of a profession, or at the least the top of visibility (therefore, why we’ve additionally invoked moviegoers in our evaluation). Getting the prospect to helm a studio characteristic is, in fact, not the golden ticket for any director. It’s not the end-all, be-all. It could not even be a aim for a lot of filmmakers.
By taking a look at this portion of the discharge calendar (and all of the field workplace bucks that include it), we are able to get a way of who Hollywood is letting into its most rarefied areas. And that issues.
As we’ve too usually found within the making of this listing (or its companion, a listing of studio movies directed by filmmakers of coloration popping out within the subsequent two years), that panorama isn’t actually altering. Whereas the latest USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative examine doesn’t fairly present a decline in inclusion, it does reveal that the progress find, elevating, and hiring Hollywood administrators who will not be white males has plateaued.
Of 112 administrators analyzed as a part of the pool (for the highest 100 grossing films of 2024), 13.4 p.c or 15 have been ladies, almost equal to 2023’s 12.1 p.c. Although there was progress since 2007, when 2.7 p.c of administrators have been ladies, in 18 years, solely 6.5 p.c of administrators have been ladies. Our first crack at this 12 months’s listing (together with the “Large 5,” plus mini-majors Lionsgate and MGM) isn’t too thrilling or edifying. Whereas there are a variety of thrilling new movies from feminine filmmakers (and plenty of horror choices, particularly), as of this writing, there aren’t any ladies directing movies like, oh, the following run of Marvel films or the most recent iteration of the DC universe.
As ever, there may be loads of room for progress on this listing, particularly because the 2025 pageant season kicks off later this month at Sundance, providing probably hungry studios the prospect to buy new movies which have already been made. There’s nothing I personally love greater than including extra titles to this listing.
Beneath is a listing of much more upcoming titles directed by ladies, organized by studio. The movies listed all have a set launch date (or have at the least been introduced as formally popping out in 2025 or 2026). We’ll replace as new movies are added to (and typically faraway from) varied slates. As of this writing, there are 13 movies directed or co-directed by ladies within the studio offing. Except in any other case specified, launch dates pertain to conventional theatrical distribution.
This text was first printed on January 16, 2025.
Lionsgate
“Want You Had been Right here,” directed by Julia Stiles, January 17, 2025
“F*** Marry Kill,” directed by Laura Murphy, March 2025
“Freaky Tales,” directed by Anna Boden (with Ryan Fleck), April 4, 2025
MGM
None
Paramount Footage
“Aang: The Final Airbender,” directed by Lauren Montgomery (with William Mata), January 20, 2026
Sony Footage Leisure and Sony Footage Classics
Untitled “I Know What You Did Final Summer season” sequel, directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, July 18, 2025
“28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” directed by Nia DaCosta, January 16, 2026
Common Footage and Focus Options
“5 Nights at Freddy’s 2,” directed by Emma Tammi, December 5, 2025
“Hamnet,” directed by Chloé Zhao, 2025
“SOULM8TE,” directed by Kate Dolan, January 2, 2026
Walt Disney Footage
“Freakier Friday,” directed by Nisha Ganatra, August 8, 2025
“Swiped,” directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg, 2025
Warner Bros.
“The Bride!,” directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, September 26, 2025
“Wuthering Heights,” directed by Emerald Fennell, February 13, 2026