In Hollywood’s struggle to increase diversity both in front of and behind the camera, 2017 is proof positive that such films can conquer the box office.
Directed by Unknown Black Director
Get Out, the social thriller by first-time filmmaker Jordan Peele, featured a black, unknown lead (Daniel Kaluuya).
In terms of input-output ratio, Get Out is the most profitable movie of the year, grossing $253 million worldwide on a $4.5 million production budget.
Directed by Woman Who Made Only One Indie
Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman represented a triumph for female directors whom for so long have been shut out of helming big-budget superhero action movies.
Respected by critics and audiences alike, the film lassoed $822 million globally, though it claims a high budget of over 150 million.
Even so, the movie has already prompted a sequel and became a rare cultural milestone likely to inspire and empower a generation of girls for years to come.
Fast and Furious Franchise
In a summer that saw a number of sequels stall out, Universal’s multicultural Fast and Furious franchise is racing ahead to two more installments (and a spinoff) after the last two films each sped to more than $1.2 billion worldwide.
Directed by Relatively Young Black Filmmaker
Malcolm D. Lee’s R-rated “Girls Trip,” featuring an all-female black cast, vanquished all other live action domestic comedies this year, grossing $115 million.