12 Best Female Movie Characters Of 2016

Strong independent women who don’t need no man.

Arrival Amy Adams
Paramount Pictures

The debate about a lack of weighty lead roles for women in movies today still rages on, but if the female characters featured in movies this year are anything to go by it looks like the film industry may finally be wising up to and addressing that fact. We’ve seen a tonne of interesting, multifaceted and empowered fictional women brilliantly brought to the big screen by the talented actresses from across the globe that are hopefully proof of a progressive step in the right direction for a more inclusive moviemaking industry.

From superheroes and scientists to comedic characters and female horror protagonists that take the final girl trope to new heights, these are the most inspiring female characters of 2016.

12. Wonder Woman – Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice

Arrival Amy Adams
Warner Bros.

While it got a fair share of fanboys raving about it, it’s safe to say that by and large Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice failed to live up to expectation. But whether you loved it or hated it, there’s one character that practically everybody was raving about – Diana Prince a.k.a. Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot.

DC fans may have been nervous about bringing such an iconic character to the big screen, but when the first pictures emerged of Gadot in full Wonder Woman garb their fears were allayed and even more so when she finally blistered onto the screen. Despite a relatively small amount of screen time – first as her human alter ago, mysterious antiques dealer Diana Prince and later in the grand finale fight scene in full superhero form – she’s been hailed as the best part of Batman V Superman. And better yet, we’ll be seeing much more of her when the standalone Wonder Woman movie is released next year.

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