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Diversity in last year\u2019s streaming films followed the same downward trend as theatrical <\/u>releases<\/u><\/a>, a new study found, with the percentage of people of color directing, writing and leading films diminishing.<\/p>\n In past years, streaming was considered a more accessible outlet for early-career female or BIPOC filmmakers, which was reflected in data about gender and racial representation<\/u><\/a>. According to Part 2 of UCLA\u2019s 2026 Hollywood Diversity Report, which was released Wednesday and analyzed all of the original English-language films distributed on major streaming platforms in 2025, that trend reversed across every category studied.<\/p>\n The share of streaming films directed by women declined to just over 23%, the lowest it\u2019s been since 2022, when the annual study began analyzing streaming and theatrical films separately. Among those female directors, an overwhelming majority (81%) were allotted budgets below $20 million, while more than a quarter of the films directed by white men exceeded $50 million. <\/p>\n Only about 31% of streaming films last year had BIPOC directors, down 10% since 2024, when the proportion more closely reflected U.S. demographics.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an industry in flux \u2014 and in reverse, especially when it comes to diversification,\u201d Darnell Hunt, UCLA\u2019s executive vice chancellor and provost and the report\u2019s co-founder, said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, as we\u2019ve seen with theatrical films, we\u2019re now seeing the impact of this current political climate in very meaningful and concrete ways,\u201d he continued. \u201cAs budgets tighten, opportunities for filmmakers of underrepresented backgrounds are always the first to be squeezed out.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite losing ground behind the scenes and in front of the camera, women and people of color continued to drive streaming viewership in 2025, the report found.<\/p>\n The year\u2019s biggest streaming hit, \u201cKPop Demon Hunters<\/u><\/a>,\u201d was also the most-watched original Netflix film of all time, and according to Neilsen ratings, it was most streamed by women in Latinx households, followed by women in Asian and Black households. The report acknowledged the film as a \u201cbright spot\u201d in a disappointing year for diversity.<\/p>\n Michael Tran, a sociologist who co-authored the report, noted that the film\u2019s impact and earnings potential could have been even greater with a theatrical release.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a missed opportunity for theaters,\u201d Tran said. \u201cWe\u2019ve tracked how diverse films tend to succeed at the box office, here and abroad. For \u2018KPop Demon Hunters,\u2019 we could have been talking about record-breaking box office receipts in addition to topping the ratings.\u201d<\/p>\n