The study analyzed the 350 top-grossing films worldwide released between January 2014 and December 2017 NEW YORK: A new study organized by Time’s Up, the organization formed to promote gender equality, finds that female-led films outperform male-led movies at the box office. The study analyzed the 350 top-grossing films worldwide released between January 2014 and December 2017. It found that in films with small, medium and large budgets, all averaged better global grosses when a woman was listed as the lead star. The study found that films that passed the Bechdel test do better, too. The Bechdel test requires a movie to feature two female characters having a conversation about something other than a man. Movies produced with a male lead easily outnumber those led by a woman. In movies with a budget greater than $100 million, there were 75 male-led films and 19 female-led films.