Dr. Stacy Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, in collaboration with the Adobe Foundation, have launched The Inclusion List, a first-of-its-kind data website that ranks the most inclusive theatrically-released films, distributors and producers from 2019 to 2022.
The Inclusion List is a data-driven ranking system that analyzes theatrically-released films based on their levels of representation, with Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King” and Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell” leading the list of the top 100 films.
Dr. Smith, founder and director of USC Annenberg’s Inclusion Initiative, and Amy White, director of corporate social responsibility at Adobe and the executive director of the Adobe Foundation, spearheaded the project, with the initiative’s Samuel Wheeler, Brooke Kong, Katherine Pieper and Smith authoring the report.
In the process of compiling the list, the research team sorted through 376 theatrically-released films across a span of 20 inclusion indicators, ranking gender, race/ethnicity, LGBTQ, disability and age representation for cast in leading and all speaking roles. Additionally, gender and race/ethnicity were evaluated across 10 below the line positions: director, writer, producer, cinematographer, editor, composer, costume designer, production designer, casting director and first assistant director. More than 14,000 speaking characters and over 5,500 crew members were evaluated.
Rounding out the top 10 films in the ranking of 100 inclusive titles are “Zola,” “Harriet,” “Laal Singh Chaddha,” “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “Everybody Knows,” “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.,” “Broker” and “Little.”
Distributors with at least 3 films in the top 100 were also ranked, with four exceptions: films that grossed less than $1 million in domestic revenue, re-releases, documentaries, and animated films were excluded. Streaming films were not evaluated for this report.
Researchers found that, among the major studios, Universal Pictures had the greatest number of films on the list with 24, followed by Sony Pictures Entertainment with 14 films and Warner Bros. Pictures at 11. 20th Century Studios released 6 films in the top 100, while Walt Disney Studios, Lionsgate and Paramount Pictures each had 5. For independent distributors, A24 lead the pack with 9 films and Neon with 6.
Eight producers were saluted for having at least three films included in the top 100: Will Packer Productions’ Will Packer, Macro film studios president James Lopez, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige, Plan B’s Dede Garner and Jeremy Kleiner, Monkeypaw’s Jordan Peele and Ian Cooper, and Blumhouse’s Jason Blum.
“This is the first rigorous, quantitative assessment of hiring practices across almost 400 movies and more than 900 producers, over 350 directors, and 16 distributors,” said Dr. Smith. “The results are clear: Universal Pictures, A24, Will Packer, James Lopez, Kevin Feige, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Lulu Wang and the others on the list are ushering in a new era for inclusion through the choices they have made and the stories they have told. We are excited to showcase and recognize those efforts.”
It’s also notable that 7 of the top 10 films were directed by women of color, while the first 47 films on the list were made by directors from historically marginalized communities.
Smith added: “What’s even more powerful about this list — and consistent with our previous work — is that films from women and women of color directors on the list earned the highest average Metacritic score. These women are excluded from the industry when we know that they are some of the top performers, telling some of the strongest and most compelling stories. This is a list that celebrates women of color in an industry that doesn’t.”
According to the report, the impetus for this ranking began in 2022 when the Adobe Foundation approached the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative team with a question: was it possible to chart progress in the entertainment industry for historically marginalized groups and determine who is responsible for creating that change. The report also notes that the 2019-2022 time frame allowed researchers to “capture films made and released following the industry upheaval brought on by the Time’s Up and #MeToo movements.”
“At Adobe, we believe that when more diverse stories are told, the world becomes a more equal and vibrant place,” said Stacy Martinet, VP of marketing at Adobe and Adobe Foundation board member. “Initiatives such as the Adobe Foundation’s collaboration with USC Annenberg gives us the ability to elevate the stories and people that are making inclusivity a priority, while also finding the ways we can still make change in the industry.”
The inaugural report and full methodology for The Inclusion List, are available at inclusionlist.org.