Hollywood has come a long way when it comes to allowing women to play a role in the film industry, but some feats have still been primarily kept by men. Niki Caro, director of films like The Zookeeper’s Wife and Whale Rider, was chosen in early 2017 to be the director of a live-action version of Disney’s Mulan. This makes her just the fourth woman in Hollywood history to be the sole director of a live-action movie with a budget exceeding $100 million. Two of the other women have directed upcoming releases, while Kathryn Bigelow directed K-19: The Widowmaker over a decade ago.
Caro is the fifth woman to direct any film—not just live-action—with a budget over $100 million. Jennifer Yuh Nelson directed Kung Fu Panda 2 but was later given a male co-director for the third installment of the franchise. Controversy has been brewing in recent years over the lack of female directors, especially due to the hiring of younger, less qualified male directors for huge undertakings. Disney has expressed interest in searching for female directors for several upcoming films in the coming years.