Let’s be honest: for too long, the spy genre has been ruled by slim suits, glacial stares, and dudes ordering their martinis to perfection. But over the last few years, female spies have stormed the headlines—breaking names, hijacking secrets, and showing that they’re more than equipped to call the shots.
These films don’t simply thrust a woman into a man’s job—these films introduce new elements to the genre: resilience, complexity, emotional stakes, and very often, a whole lot of style. From high-octane thrillers to thoughtful dramas, here are 15 of the greatest female-led spy films that turned espionage cinema on its head—ranked from recent gems to classic stalwarts.
15. The Mother (2023)
Jennifer Lopez swaps rom-coms for guns in this tough, high-octane action thriller. As a once-military-trained operative who comes out of retirement to guard the daughter she gave up years ago, Lopez brings both toughness and sensitivity. Filmed in snowy landscapes and city mayhem, it’s a lean Netflix thriller that marries motherly instincts with some serious combat moves—showing moms really can do everything (even kill hit teams).
14. Heart of Stone (2023)
Gal Gadot gets suited up as Rachel Stone, an MI6 tech expert with a secret even larger: she’s an elite agent for a secret international agency. It’s like Mission: Impossible, but with a digital spin. With global-spanning action and high-octane AI mayhem, Gadot delivers charisma and physicality in equal measure, cementing her status as an action-hero A-list player.
13. The 355 (2022)
What do you get when five powerhouse actresses come together to save the world? A fashionable, action-packed spy thriller with attitude. Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Lupita Nyong’o, Diane Kruger, and Fan Bingbing make up an international squad of spies from rival countries. It’s a frenetic, high-octane ride that eschews sisterhood and spectacle, with more than enough explosions to go around.
12. Black Widow (2021)
Scarlett Johansson finally receives the solo movie her character has long deserved. As Natasha Romanoff comes to terms with her troubled past and reinserts herself into her unorthodox “family,” Black Widow is as much an espionage thriller as it is an emotional accounting. Florence Pugh almost steals the picture as Yelena, injecting humor, toughness, and impeccable deadpan reading into the MCU.
11. No Time to Die (2021)
Bond might still be in the spotlight, but this movie gives us a glimpse into the future. Lashana Lynch appears as Nomi, a smart, efficient double-oh agent with no tolerance for Bond’s shenanigans. Ana de Armas shines in her short stint as Paloma—hilarious, tough, and completely memorable. Together, they suggest a new way for the franchise.
10. Anna (2019)
Supermodel Sasha Luss is a lethal double (and triple) agent in this fashion-forward thriller by Luc Besson. Part high-fashionista, part brutally efficient killer, Anna transports us into the complicated web of Cold War spycraft with rapid cuts, fluid timelines, and lethal secrets. She’s gorgeous, to be sure—but also underestimatable.
9. Red Sparrow (2018)
Jennifer Lawrence plays a Russian ballerina who is drafted into being a weapon for the state. Her descent into a “sparrow”—taught in seduction, manipulation, and survival—is creepy and sad. Red Sparrow has no qualms about being dark, going deep with the themes of independence, control, and trust.
8. Atomic Blonde (2017)
Charlize Theron gives uncompromising, edgy, cold-blooded perfection as MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton. Filmed in Berlin in the moments leading up to the Wall’s collapse, this neon, Netflix-distributed thriller boasts some of the greatest hand-to-hand combat sequences ever captured (that stairwell brawl? Iconic). Theron’s Broughton is all raw brutality and cool detachment—and she rocks every last second of it.
7. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) & Fallout (2018)
Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust is among the handful of characters who can command attention away from Ethan Hunt. Cool and mysterious, and more than capable of standing on her own, Faust adds depth and substance to a franchise that thrives on adrenaline rather than emotion. She’s not just a sidekick—she’s a spy in her own right with an agenda.
6. Salt (2010)
Angelina Jolie becomes a role first conceived for Tom Cruise—and owns it. As Evelyn Salt, she’s a CIA agent accused of being a Russian spy, embarking on a breathless pursuit featuring twists, stunts, and vicious confrontations. Jolie’s performance is hard-core, athletic, and nuanced—this is espionage on high speed.
5. A Call to Spy (2019)
Inspired by true heroines of WWII, this thriller showcases the women of Britain’s SOE who put their lives on the line to disrupt the Nazis. Virginia Hall, Noor Inayat Khan, and Vera Atkins are more than historical asterisks—they’re front-line heroes. It’s a moving tribute to bravery, sacrifice, and underrated genius.
4. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Jessica Chastain stars as Maya, a CIA analyst whose dogged search for Osama bin Laden alters the course of history. Zero Dark Thirty is suspenseful and intense, a rare depiction of spycraft as long, frustrating, and emotionally draining—not shootouts and disguises. It’s an obsession, and at what price?
3. Black Book (2006)
In Nazi-occupied Holland, a Jewish woman becomes a resistance spy in this taut, morally complex thriller from Paul Verhoeven. Carice van Houten plays Rachel, who uses wit, charm, and steel nerves to outmaneuver both enemies and allies. Black Book is layered and deeply human—she’s not a symbol, she’s a survivor.
2. Mata Hari (1931)
Greta Garbo’s classic starring role as the actual ballerina-turned-spy is one of the most glamorous on-screen examinations of spying ever. Made during World War I, Mata Hari is bathed in Old Hollywood spectacle, but Garbo’s acting suggests the psychological turmoil of a woman trapped in the machinery of war. It’s where the “seductive spy” myth started.
1. La Femme Nikita (1990)
Luc Besson’s classic French thriller redefined the spy manual. Anne Parillaud is Nikita, a tough young woman enlisted by the government to become a top assassin. Her transition from street hustler to killer agent is bloody, intense, and not to be forgotten. It inspired remakes, TV shows, and a generation of female-centric action tales that resonate to this day.
These movies aren’t mere spy films—they’re about identity, power, survival, and transformation. They demonstrate that spies do not have to dress in tuxedos or spout witty one-liners to make an impact. Occasionally, the best secret agents are those who are drafting the rulebook as they move along. If you’re in the mood for a spy night, a bit more gritty, refined, and emotionally complex—this here is your mission assignment. And it’s one you’ll be eager to take.