The number of hit films with female protagonists reached an all-time high in 2016, a new study has revealed.

Women reportedly led 29 per cent of the top 100 grossing films of the year - up 7 per cent from the year before.

Female-led films such as Ghostbusters, Bad Moms, Arrival and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story are some examples from a year that also saw a rise in women appearing in mixed cast ensembles.

Felicity Jones starred in Rogue One which earned over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, while Mila Kunis appeared in the sleeper hit Bad Moms which took over $179 million worldwide on a $20 million budget.

Martha Mauzen of The Center for the Study of Women in Film, who authored the study, said: "We have now seen over and over that female characters, when done well, they're good box office.