‘Hidden Figures’ Is The First Movie With Multiple Female Leads To Remain No. 1 Since 2011

Having expanded to theaters nationwide at the start of the month, “HiddenFigures” is the perfect antidote to the doldrums of January moviegoing.

Now, by our calculations, “Hidden Figures” is the first live-action, non-franchisefilm starring more than one female lead to hit No. 1 two weekends in a rowsince “The Help” in 2011.

This news bodes wonderfully for “Hidden Figures,” a lovely movie owed aheavyweight prize for surpassing box-office forecasts and knocking “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” from the top spot.

Yes, we have to go all the way back to “The Help” the story of Mississippi maidsand their racist employers to find an original film in which women earn superiorbilling and find lasting box-office success.

It went on to earn a Best Picture nomination, something “Hidden Figures” seems poised to secure when the Oscar shortlist is announced Jan. 24.

To boot, Deadline estimates “Figures” will cross the $100 million mark, animpressive threshold.

We cannot rely on Spencer alone to headline lucrative movies with otherwomen, and we shouldn’t have to wait another several years to repeat thisstatistic.

It’s also worth noting that Fox hired a white man to make “Hidden Figures.” When I talked to Janelle Monáe last year about her roles in “Figures” and “Moonlight,” she praised director Theodore Melfi, calling him an “Ally.” “I love [Ted],” Monáe said.

A San Diego State study released last week showed that women helmed a mere7 percent of 2016’s 250 highest-grossing movies, representing a 2-percent dipfrom 2015.

Like Monáe says in “Hidden Figures,” “Every time we get a chance to get ahead, they move the finish line. Every time.”

SOURCE: HUFF POST