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As movie studios search for ways to revive theatrical attendance, new research suggests that the answer may lie in something audiences have been asking for: more diverse stories and casts.
According to the latest UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report, films with casts that are 41–50% BIPOC consistently outperform others across several key metrics, including median domestic and global box office revenue, theater count, opening-weekend ranking and international distribution.
That range closely mirrors the 45.2% BIPOC share of the U.S. population, suggesting that films reflecting the country’s demographic reality are resonating most strongly with moviegoers.
The report also found that BIPOC audiences are a major force at the box office. These moviegoers purchased the majority of opening-weekend domestic tickets for five of the top 10 films and 11 of the top 20 global box-office hits in 2025.
Genre Trends Reveal Audience Differences
Audience preferences varied widely by genre.
- Science fiction films generated the highest median global box office earnings.
- Horror films delivered the highest median return on investment, reinforcing the genre’s reputation as a reliable financial performer.
The report also revealed notable demographic patterns in audiences:
- White moviegoers dominated audiences for biographies, documentaries and dramas, genres that also recorded the lowest median box office receipts.
- BIPOC audiences made up the majority of viewers for animation and horror films and nearly half the audience for action movies.
These patterns highlight how different demographics influence the financial success of specific genres.
Diversity Also Present in Top-Grossing Films
The report found that diversity among casts is already common in the biggest box-office hits.
- Six of the top 10 films and 12 of the top 20 films featured casts that were more than 30% BIPOC.
- Three of the top 10 and eight of the top 20 had casts that were over 40% women.
- Two of the top 10 and four of the top 20 included casts where more than 20% of actors had a known disability.
Even among White audiences, seven of their top 20 favorite films included casts with more than 30% BIPOC representation, reinforcing the report’s broader conclusion that diverse casting appeals to wide audiences.
Female Representation Shows Signs of Decline
While racial diversity in casting remains strong in top films, gender representation showed setbacks in 2025.
Female-led films among the top 20 global box-office titles dropped from nine in 2024 to six in 2025. Films where women made up the majority of the audience also declined from eight to four.
Women’s on-screen representation fell as well, with women accounting for 37.1% of roles in 2025, down from 41.3% the year before. Meanwhile, majority-male casts rose sharply, increasing from 51.5% to 66.9%.
Still, the report noted that films with strong female-centered narratives continue to attract audiences. Major successes such as “Barbie,” “Inside Out 2,” “Zootopia 2,” and the live-action “Lilo & Stitch” demonstrate sustained demand for stories led by women.
The Industry’s Challenge: Reflect the Audience
Ultimately, the report concludes that Hollywood’s future box-office success may depend on whether it continues to prioritize meaningful representation across race and gender.
“People want stories they can relate to and connect with in the movies they watch,” the report’s co-authors write.
In an era when people increasingly interact online rather than in person, they argue, film remains one of the few cultural spaces where audiences encounter stories outside their own experience.
“Film affords people the opportunity to connect with others who they may never come in contact with in real life and helps them to understand their shared humanity. This is why meaningful representation in film is so vital and why Hollywood must adapt to meet this need.”
For studios hoping to revive theatrical moviegoing, the message is clear: audiences are showing up for stories that reflect the world they live in.
