Female-led films ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ and ‘Black Widow’ are among 2020’s most anticipated

The future is female ... at least when it comes to the cineplex.

For the first time, four films starring and directed by women — “Wonder Woman 1984,” Marvel’s “Black Widow” and “Eternals” and Disney’s live-action “Mulan” — topped a Fandango audience survey of the most anticipated movies of the new year, the film hub announced Friday.

The movies, helmed by Patty Jenkins, Cate Shortland, Chloe Zhao and Niki Caro, respectively, were selected in an online survey conducted in the last weeks of this month. More than 2,000 millennial film fans cast their votes for the top movies and performances they were most looking forward to seeing on the big screen in 2020.

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Rounding out the top 10 are a bevy of sequels, spin-offs and adaptations, including the next James Bond installment (“No Time to Die”), John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place II,” the female superhero team-up flick “Birds of Prey,” the musical “In the Heights,” Pixar’s animated film “Soul” and the ninth chapter of the “Fast & Furious” franchise. “Soul,” about a middle-school music teacher who dreams of playing at a New York jazz club, appears to be the only original fare.

But it’s the “Wonder Woman” sequel that fans seem particularly stoked about, topping the most anticipated actress (Gal Gadot), actor (Chris Pine) and villain (Kristen Wiig) categories as well.

Here’s how those four films fared and the other releases moviegoers can expect in the new year:

Most anticipated movie:

1. “Wonder Woman 1984” (directed by Patty Jenkins; release date: June 5)
2. “Black Widow” (Cate Shortland, May 1)
3. Marvel’s “Eternals” (Chloe Zhao, Nov. 6)
4. “Mulan” (Niki Caro, March 27)
5. “No Time to Die” (Cary Joji Fukunaga, April 10)
6. “A Quiet Place Part II” (John Krasinski, March 20)
7. “Birds of Prey” (Cathy Yan, Feb. 7)
8. “In the Heights” (Jon M. Chu, June 26)
9. Pixar’s “Soul” (Pete Docter and Kemp Powers, June 19)
10. “Fast & Furious 9” (Justin Lin, May 22)

Most anticipated actress:

1. Gal Gadot (“Wonder Woman 1984”)
2. Scarlett Johansson (“Black Widow”)
3. Emily Blunt (“A Quiet Place Part II,” “Jungle Cruise”)
4. Margot Robbie (“Birds of Prey”)
5. Zendaya (“Dune”)

Most anticipated actor:

1. Chris Pine (“Wonder Woman 1984”)
2. Paul Rudd (“Ghostbusters: Afterlife”)
3. Ryan Reynolds (“Free Guy”)
4. Daniel Craig (“No Time to Die”)
5. Robert Downey Jr. (“Dolittle”)

Most anticipated villain:

1. Kristen Wiig as Cheetah (“Wonder Woman 1984”)
2. Rami Malek as Safin (“No Time to Die”)
3. Ewan McGregor as Black Mask (“Birds of Prey”)
4. Jim Carrey as Dr. Ivo Robotnik (“Sonic the Hedgehog”)
5. Charlize Theron as Cipher (“Fast & Furious 9”)

Most anticipated family film:

1. “Mulan”
2. Pixar’s “Soul”
3. “Sonic the Hedgehog”
4. “Dolittle”
5. “Jungle Cruise”

Most anticipated horror film:

1. “A Quiet Place Part II”
2. “Halloween Kills”
3. “The Invisible Man”
4. “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It”
5. “The Grudge”

Most anticipated live-action comedy:

1. “Ghostbusters: Afterlife”
2. “Bill & Ted Face the Music”
3. “Bad Boys For Life”
4. “Legally Blonde 3”
5. “The Lovebirds”