While we’ve had our fair share of superhero movies this year, we haven’t really had a lot of exposure to female superheroes. But 2020 will change that, with at least 3 movies featuring DC’s and Marvel’s femme fatales, plus they’re all also directed by women!
Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
Cast: Margot Robbie, Ewan McGregor, Rosie Perez
Director: Cathy Yan
Release: 7 Feb 2020
After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins Birds of Prey, DC’s all-ladies team of superheroes comprising Black Canary, Huntress, and Renee Montoya (Perez). The ladies team up to save a young girl from an evil crime lord – Ewan McGregor as the Black Mask.
Black Widow
Cast: Scarlett Johansson, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz
Director: Cate Shortland
Release: 1 May 2020
Johansson reprises her role as Natasha/Black Widow in Marvel Studios’ action-packed spy thriller Black Widow — the first film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She’ll be accompanied by Alexei aka The Red Guardian (Harbour) and Melina (Weisz).
Wonder Woman
Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig
Director: Patty Jenkins
Release: 4 June 2020
Diana comes into conflict with the Soviet Union during the Cold War in the 1980s and finds a formidable foe by the name of the Cheetah (Wiig), one of Wonder Woman’s archenemies in the comics. Steve Trevor (Pine) reappears as Wonder Woman’s love interest, despite his apparent death in the first film.
Special Mention: Mulan
Cast: Yifei Liu, Jet Li, Donnie Yen, Gong Li
Director: Niki Caro
Release: 27 March 2020
(Okay, we know Mulan isn’t a “superhero”, but she does save her nation from evil with her own powers, so that makes her one, right?) When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honoured warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential.
