'Girl power' flexing muscle in Hollywood
By Michael Cieply and Claudia Eller
Los Angeles Times
"What a Girl Wants," in the truest sense, may remain one of life's mysteries. But Warner Bros. knows exactly what it wants from its coming-of-age comedy starring 17-year-old Amanda Bynes: Another girl-powered hit.
In recent months, a series of relatively inexpensive pictures aimed at girls and younger women has produced a consistent string of box-office successes. And that track record is leading some in Hollywood to speculate that young females — once viewed as extra ticket sales for pictures largely chosen by male companions — are on their way to becoming one of the film industry's most reliable audience blocs.
"These movies used to be the odd occurrence. But they've become a genre unto themselves," said Denise Di Novi, who produced "What a Girl Wants" and other female-driven films, beginning with "Heathers" in 1989.
"Sweet Home Alabama" with Reese Witherspoon, "Maid in Manhattan" with Jennifer Lopez, and "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" with Kate Hudson all have neared or topped $100 million in U.S. ticket sales since last fall. "Just Married," a low-budget romantic comedy with less star power, shook up box-office expectations in January by elbowing aside a pack of Oscar contenders to open with a strong $17.5 million first weekend.
The sudden run of female-empowerment hits may stem, in part, from Hollywood's tendency to double down on its winners. Two years ago, a pair of surprise successes — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.'s "Legally Blonde," which starred Witherspoon, and Paramount Pictures' "Save the Last Dance" with Julia Stiles — touched off a scramble for projects keyed to the hopes, dreams and fears of young women.
"We've had great success with girl power," said MGM Vice Chairman Chris McGurk, who, in a daring bit of counterprogramming, plans to release his studio's "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde" directly opposite Warner Bros.' "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" on July 2.
In a similar match-up, 20th Century Fox expects to release "Down With Love," starring Renee Zellweger, against Warner Bros.' highly anticipated "The Matrix Reloaded" in mid-May.
That studios are willing to risk their feminine bets against such action franchises reflects a new belief that young women are more easily reached by film marketers than are young men. Several executives credited the WB television network with giving advertisers a direct line to female filmgoers. The network built its heavily female audience between ages 12 and 34 around shows such as "Dawson's Creek" and "The Gilmore Girls."
Bynes, the "What a Girl Wants" star, is featured in the WB series "What I Like About You," and was long on Viacom Inc.'s Nickelodeon network.
Warner Bros. marketing chief Dawn Taubin said the new film, which cost $20 million, is targeted at girls between ages 8 and 16, and their mothers.
That narrow audience, Taubin said, may not be large enough to duplicate the success of Witherspoon's "Sweet Home Alabama," which took in $127 million at the U.S. box-office. But the studio hopes to match last year's "A Walk to Remember," an inexpensive teen drama also produced by Di Novi that attracted $43 million in domestic ticket sales and $48.5 million in home video and DVD sales.
If young women are directly in the marketers' sights, young males appear to be slipping at least slightly out of focus.
Columbia Pictures Chairwoman Amy Pascal, who earned a reputation for pushing female-oriented films such as "Little Women" long before the current vogue, said pictures aimed at younger males "forget to be wish-fulfillment movies."
But more often, said Pascal, who will open Columbia's action sequel "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" a week before "Terminator 3," Hollywood has simply forgotten to tap the full power of young women.
"Young girls are gigantic consumers, and it's an audience that's always been there," she said.
