Comic book movies are the biggest thing in Hollywood right now. Unfortunately, these films are as guilty as every other film genre of underrepresenting women. In fact, since Marvel ignited the superhero boom with 2008’s Iron Man, there has not been one comic book film headed by a female character. There’s a mentality in Hollywood that female-driven films aren’t commercially viable, but this has been repeatedly proven wrong, especially within the last year. Disney’s Frozen, a film focusing on two sisters, has become a cultural phenomenon, and is now the 5th highest-grossing film of all time. Most recently, Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie, an almost 40 year old mother, has done big business at the box office as well. Believing that female-driven entertainment doesn’t make money is an outdated idea. Comic book movies are shattering box office records and should be at the forefront of producing films with strong female characters, given that both Marvel and DC comics have many female superheroes in their roster to use. These are the 10 female superheroes that need their own film.
10. Black Canary
A character in the DC Comics universe who frequently fights alongside Green Arrow, Black Canary is currently featured on the WB TV show Arrow. There has already been one spinoff show created from Arrow (The Flash, set to debut this fall), so why not give Black Canary her own spin-off? Black Canary is one of the more popular female superheroes; she is a vigilante with no actual superpowers, but possesses highly-developed combat skills (like Batman). Unlike Batman, she is willing to kill, which has led to friction in the television series between her and Arrow, who adopts a non-lethal policy. A television series focusing on Black Canary could explore her time with the League of Shadows, a popular group of assassins within the DC universe, and her solo career as a vigilante.