SNEAK PEEK: Movies & TV shows about real women that are coming out in 2020

After the success of last year's biopic Harriet and HBO's miniseries Catherine the Great, studios finally seem to be taking the hint about all of the screen-worthy -- and true -- female-led stories that are out there. From beauty queens to millionaires to Nobel Prize winners, here's a sneak peek at the inspiring and powerful movies, television shows, and documentaries set to come out this year that feature the lives of real women (in order of release date):

Miss Americana
Release Date: January 23, 2020

Netflix's documentary about Taylor Swift, Miss Americana, traces the star's rise from singer to industry powerhouse. It debuts at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and although sources say it will be available on the streaming platform "soon" after that, the actual date hasn't been announced yet.

untitled
Release Date: January 25, 2020

This documentary has yet to be titled, even though it's premiering at Sundance in just a couple weeks. Airing on Apple TV, it shares the true story of music exec Drew Dixon, who left her dream job at Def Jam Records because she was sexually assaulted by one of its cofounders (although he denies the charges). A tough one to be sure, but a powerful reminder of the challenges women face in male-dominated industries.

A Thousand Cuts
Release Date: January 25, 2020

Another Sundance Film Festival contender, A Thousand Cuts is about Maria Ressa, CEO of the Philippine news outlet Rappler. Facing government-sanctioned harassment and jail time, she and her team fearlessly report on President Duterte's widespread misinformation campaign that seeks to justify his brutal regime.

Coded Bias
Release Date: January 26, 2020

Joy Buolamwini is an expert on artificial intelligence facial recognition, but all too often her Black skin is invisible to such programs. Coded Bias is a documentary that illuminates the all too common innate discrimination of facial recognition and AI, as well as features Buolamwini's efforts to pass the first AI legislation in the country.

The Glorias
Release Date: January 26, 2020

The first non-documentary on the list, The Glorias is based on feminist icon Gloria Steinem's memoir, My Life on the Road. Starring Julianne Moore as Steinem, the movie is also directed by a woman (it better be!), and features Bette Midler as activist and lawyer Bella Abzug.

Radioactive
Release Date: March 2020

Based on the incredible illustrated biography of the same name, Radioactive follows Marie Curie (played by Rosamund Pike) and her husband Pierre (Sam Riley) as they fall in love and change the world. Although technically already released last year at the Toronto International Film Festival, it won't be in American theaters until March.

Hillary
Release Date: March 6, 2020

The first woman to win the popular vote for U.S. President is the subject of a four-part documentary that will premiere at Sundance and be available on Hulu in March. Hillary traces Clinton's fifty-plus years in public service, including never-before-seen footage from her 2016 presidential campaign.

Self Made
Release Date: March 20, 2020

Self Made is a four-part miniseries starring Octavia Spencer as Madam C. J. Walker, the cosmetics entrepreneur who is often cited as the first self-made female millionaire in America (although there is some debate about that). Produced by LeBron James and Spencer herself, the show is based on a book written by one of Walker's descendants and will air on Netflix.

Mulan
Release Date: March 27, 2020

What? You didn't know Mulan is based on a real person? Okay, okay, Hua Mulan may just be a legend, but no one knows for sure, so I'm including it. Also, it looks AMAZING!

Mrs. America
Release Date: April 15, 2020

This show isn't about a single woman as much as it's about all American women. Set in the 1970s, Hulu's new miniseries Mrs. America recounts the efforts to get the Equal Rights Amendment (written by Awesome Woman Alice Paul) ratified -- a fight that is STILL going on today!

Respect
Release Date: August 14, 2020

Aretha Franklin gets her own much deserved biopic, set to release in theaters this summer. In addition to the mind-blowingly talented Jennifer Hudson portraying the legendary Queen of Soul, Respect also features Broadway superstar Audra McDonald, Titus Burgess (of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt fame), and music icon Mary J. Blige, so you know this soundtrack is going to be ridonkulous.

Selena: The Series
Release Date: TBA 2020

Starring Christian Serratos (The Walking Dead, Twilight), the upcoming Netflix series Selena tells the true story of the singer's rise to stardom and her tragic end. Fortunately, Selena's real family are deeply involved with the show, helping with the development and working as executive producers, so it is certain to be both respectful and accurate.

Ammonite
Release Date: TBA 2020

Based on the life of fossil hunter extraordinaire Mary Anning, Ammonite stars Kate Winslet and was filmed on location in Anning's home town of Lyme Regis, which is totally amazing. Some have criticized the director's decision to give Anning a girlfriend, but with no evidence to the contrary, I say go for it. The most important thing is giving Anning the credit she's long overdue, and hopefully this movie will help do that.

Blonde
Release Date: TBA 2020

Although Blonde is ostensibly about movie star and pop culture icon Marilyn Monroe, the movie is actually based on a historical fiction novel by the same name by Joyce Carol Oates. Focusing on the imagined inner life of Monroe, Blonde stars Ana de Armas and is produced by Netflix.

Misbehaviour
Release Date: TBA 2020

Judging from the trailer, this British film (hence the "u" in the title) looks like a thoughtful, funny, and powerful film about the 1970 Miss World pageant. Not only does it follow the true story of a group of women who seek to call out the sexist nature of the competition, it also counters their narrative with two Black contestants who are vying for equal footing in a world that prioritizes white beauty. With Gugu Mbatha-Raw starring as Miss Grenada and Keira Knightley as feminist Sally Alexander, this movie is set to release in the UK in March, but the U.S. date hasn't been set yet.

Greta
Release Date: TBA 2020

Time magazine's Person of the Year, Greta Thunberg became a household name last year when she brought a much needed focus on how business executives and world leaders are failing to act on climate change. This documentary, being released in Sweden (and hopefully the U.S. soon after!), follows her story from lone dissenter to Nobel Prize favorite.

untitled Rihanna documentary
Release Date: TBA 2020

A documentary on the multifaceted life of music superstar Rihanna is set to come out this year, and after paying $25 million for the rights to release it, Amazon is sure to make it a good one! Although the release date has yet to be announced, the film will be directed by Peter Berg, who has worked with Rihanna before on the 2012 movie Battleship.

untitled Billie Eilish documentary
Release Date: TBA 2020

Not to be outdone, Apple paid singer Billie Eilish $25M too for the rights to her documentary. The 17-year-old Grammy nominee became a cultural phenomenon in 2019 after developing a huge following online, and was Apple Music's artist of the year.

There are also a bunch of interesting looking biopics coming out of India, featuring the stories of activist Laxmi Agarwal, activist Malala Yousafzai, Indian Air Force pilot Gunjan Saxena, and mathematician Shakuntala Devi, but I don't speak Hindi, so if they ever make it to the U.S., hopefully ​they'll have subtitles!

Happy watching!!