--- title: "Theatre Owners: 2015 the “Year of Women” At Box Office" id: "28196" type: "post" slug: "theatre-owners-2015-the-year-of-women-at-box-office" published_at: "2015-04-23T19:32:57+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T13:53:36+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2015/04/23/theatre-owners-2015-the-year-of-women-at-box-office/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2015/04/23/theatre-owners-2015-the-year-of-women-at-box-office.md" excerpt: "In comments at the group's annual CinemaCon meeting in Las Vegas, the president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners noted that the industry was finding strength by creating roles highlighting gender diversity." taxonomy_category: - "Conscious Inclusion" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "film diversity" - "gender equity" - "Leadership" - "women in film" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" - "For-Profit CEO / President / Owner / Partner" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Theatre Owners: 2015 the “Year of Women” At Box Office For decades, the movie industry has faced questions regarding the way it portrays women. For example, many films fail the Bechdel Test, a basic test to see if films have (1) at least two women in the film that (2) talk about something other than a man. Recent hit films like *22 Jump Street*, *American Sniper*, and *The Grand Budapest Hotel* have failed this test. But the National Association of Theatre Owners sees an opportunity to change this dynamic in 2015. Simply put, it just makes good business sense. During this week’s CinemaCon event, NATO President and CEO John Fithian suggested that putting women in lead roles would help drive record box-office numbers this year. “2015 will rock at the box office because it will be the year of women,” Fithian said, [according to Variety (opens in a new tab)](http://variety.com/2015/film/news/women-box-office-family-films-1201476614/) . “We have so much more to come, with big female roles in horror, comedy, science-fiction, animation, family, western, thriller and action. Personally, I am so pleased that my daughter can see more women in leading roles than ever before.” Films with female leads, such as *Fifty Shades of Grey* and *Cinderella*—both of which pass the Bechdel Test, by the way—have seen box-office success with audiences made up of more than 60 percent women. Fithian’s take on things, which also highlighted the diversity of film ratings at the box office, differs somewhat from the conventional thinking emphasized by box-office analysts. Currently, the film industry is riding high on the success of the latest entry in the *Fast and the Furious* series, [which recently topped $1 billion in worldwide revenue (opens in a new tab)](http://www.avclub.com/article/furious-7-just-made-1-billion-faster-any-film-hist-218325) ; later this year, new *Avengers* and *Star Wars* films are expected to drive massive profits for theaters. But if Fithian is right, it could be a significant shift for the film industry as a whole. [A study released earlier this year (opens in a new tab)](http://deadline.com/2015/02/women-in-hollywood-fewer-lead-roles-1201370101/) by San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film found that just 12 percent of the protagonists in the top-grossing films of 2014 were female, a 3 percent drop from 2013. Recent successes, such as *The Hunger Games* series, could be playing a role in changing the dynamic. In both 2013 and 2014, films in the Jennifer Lawrence-starring film series [became the highest-grossing domestic films of their respective years (opens in a new tab)](http://deadline.com/2015/01/the-hunger-games-mockingjay-part-1-2014-highest%20grossing-film-of-the-year-guardians-of-the-galaxy-1201355262/) , topping the high-grossing superhero movies *Iron Man 3* and *Guardians of the Galaxy*. “In 2015, women get a little more of the limelight,” Fithian said. The 2015 remake of “Cinderella,” featuring Cate Blanchett (center) and Lily James, was cited as an example of a hit film that drew in female audiences. (Disney) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#film diversity](https://associationsnow.com/tag/film-diversity/) [#gender equity](https://associationsnow.com/tag/gender-equity/) [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) [#women in film](https://associationsnow.com/tag/women-in-film/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoLeading the Way in Neuroinclusion with ASAE Research Foundation and MPIDecember 16, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/16/leading-the-way-in-neuroinclusion-with-asae-research-foundation-and-mpi/) - [VideoASAE DELP Reunion 2025 & Introduction of New ClassAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/asae-delp-reunion-2025-introduction-of-new-class-2/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond Accessibility: Building Neuroinclusive Association CommunitiesMay 28, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/05/28/associations-now-presents-beyond-accessibility-building-neuroinclusive-association-communities/) - [VideoWhy Neuroinclusion Matters: Raising Awareness Across the Association CommunityDecember 15, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/15/why-neuroinclusion-matters-raising-awareness-across-the-association-community/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2015%2F04%2F23%2Ftheatre-owners-2015-the-year-of-women-at-box-office%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !