SUMMARY
Considering the quality, quantity, and diversity of films distributed under the Lionsgate banner, GLAAD has rated Lionsgate as POOR.
Lionsgate’s 2024 film slate leaves something to be desired in terms of LGBTQ inclusion. While there are significant LGBTQ characters in films such as The Radleys and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, there are also films with minimal representation such as Float and Young Werther. Further, and more concerning, are films such as Miller’s Girl and Strictly Confidential, which paint pictures of queer women that fell into dated and harmful tropes.
HISTORY
Founded by Canadian businessman Frank Guistra in 1997, Lionsgate Studios (previously Lionsgate) has produced and distributed major blockbusters such as Twilight, Hunger Games and the John Wick franchises. In 2007, Lionsgate bought a partial stake in independent distribution company Roadside Attractions. The company has since acquired Summit Entertainment in 2012 and Starz Inc. in 2016. In 2023, Lionsgate acquired Entertainment One (eOne Films) and merged with Screaming Eagle Corp., a special-purpose acquisition company, to form Lionsgate Studios. In 2025, shareholders voted to approve the separation of Lionsgate Studios and Starz, which will continue on as separate entities.
LGBTQ-inclusive films previously released by Lionsgate include The Pillow Book (1997), Gods and Monsters (1998), But I’m a Cheerleader! and Urbania (2000), Happy Endings (2005), Precious (2009), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), American Ultra and Freeheld (2015), Un Padre No Tan Padre (2017), Bombshell (2019), Joy Ride, and Dear David, and GLAAD Media Award nominee The Blackening (2023).
Float is a romantic drama between Waverly, a med student, and Blake, a lifeguard who saves her from drowning. Though the main story is a straight romance, there are two significant lesbian characters, Lena and Van, a couple who befriend Waverly. The climatic scene of the film takes place at Lena’s baby shower, and by the end of the movie, the baby is born. Though they are supporting characters, Lena and Van are both significant to the plot in convincing Waverly to stay in their small town, yet they also have their own lives outside of the straight protagonists.
This science fiction epic takes place in a futuristic New York City called New Rome and follows Cesar Catalina, an architect whose vision clashes with the mayor. Cesar begins dating Julia, the mayor’s daughter, who we learn has a history of dating women as paparazzi ask her about her former relationships. She’s also seen kissing Cesar’s cousin Clodia before she is with Cesar. However, once she is with Cesar, her past and her queerness are never discussed. One of the villains, Clodio, Clodia’s brother, is asked by the press if he is gay, but he says that they are thinking of his sister. Clodio often dresses femininely or in drag, contrasting with the masculinity of the hero. It is unfortunate that the instances of confirmed queerness were ultimately brushed aside and to see that the villain fell into tired cliches around evil characters transgressing gender roles and expression.
Based very loosely on true events, this action-comedy follows a group of operatives hired by the British army during WWII to disrupt the production of German U-boats. One of the operatives is Anders, a Danish weapons expert, who expresses interest in men during one scene; telling one man he’s too pretty for him, and hitting on another man. Though the scene is brief, it does confirm one of the major characters in this film is gay. Anders’ sexuality isn’t brought up any further in the film, though he is also never the butt of any jokes about his identity. 
This film follows Dean, who enters a rehab facility after attempting death by suicide. There she meets others who are dealing with similar issues, including a lesbian character, Taryn. After they are all released, Taryn does hang out with Dean as a background character in their group, but sadly, Taryn does die by suicide. This causes significant ripple effects throughout the group as Taryn was an important character, though having the only queer character pass away is a disappointing scripting choice.
This British film follows the titular Radley family of vampires who refuse to drink the blood of others until their Uncle Will comes to town and shakes everything up. The narrator of the film is Rowan Radley, who tells the audience he’s gay in a voiceover at the start. He has a crush on his classmate Evan, who is bisexual, and eventually asks him out. During their date, Rowan struggles to stop himself from harming Evan, so he leaves, but then later finds out that Evan has been bitten by Will. To save Evan’s life, Rowan turns him into a vampire even though, in this world, true love cannot be shared between a vampire and the person who turned them. Will is also seen with both men and women throughout the film. Though Will is the villain of the film, he is not the only queer or bi+ representation nor does his queerness define his villainy, and Rowan and Evan are the heart of the film. The couple end the film together, unclear on the exact nature of their relationship but knowing that love is there in some form.
This erotic thriller follows Mia, who is navigating the aftermath of the death of her friend Rebecca a year later. It is revealed that Rebecca’s mother Lily is having an affair with Natasha, one of Rebecca’s friends. The audience learns Lily accidentally killed her husband because he found out about their affair. Lily is presented as morally dubious due to her cheating – not necessarily her queerness, though the two are very much intertwined. Lily does redeem herself at the end of the movie, sacrificing herself for Rebecca who turns out to be alive after all, but the film itself seems much more interested in showing the sexual nature of two women together, rather than any real or grounded emotional storyline.
