The surprising way the Smurfs changed their tune on women.

Try as they might, the movie industry just can’t seem to get their female to male ratio to reflect the real world.

Think Star Wars and their one token main female character Rey, who made it into the movie but not into associated products such as toys.

Or the Power Ranger’s reboot with their dismal two to four ratio of women to men.

Who would have thought it would have been the Smurfs franchise that would provide the formula for feminism for Hollywood? And don’t think I’m forgetting the fact that for most of it’s 60-year history, Smurfs has featured one female smurf only.

Yep, thanks for Smurfette guys, but only one? Really?

Well, talk about correcting their huge mistake. Talk about fixing things without being asked.

Talk about watching Moana and deciding to follow suit by striving for equality of storyline.

Here’s how they’ve done it.

Smurfs: The Lost Village, the latest installment of the franchise, centres on Smurfette, who is voiced by Demi Lovato. As the only female of the species, she suffers an identity crisis of sorts. She stumbles upon a mysterious map and sets off with some of her male counterparts to follow the map and find the Forbidden Forest.

An unfortunate name for the forest actually because it turns out that it contains…

AN ENTIRE VILLAGE OF FEMALE SMURFS.

The commander of the girl smurfs is Smurf Willow, voiced by Julia Roberts – who pretty much celebrates girl power the entire time except when she flirts with Papa Smurf.

Stay on script people! Smurfs does feminism. Flirting is not required.

It's so wonderful as a mother to be able to watch a movie in which female characters are strong and plenty. Watching the classics through a mother's eyes can leave you feeling disturbed at the lack of female empowerment in some films and while movie-makers do attempt more modern remakes, they still seem to miss the point.

Like the recent Cinderella movie starring Lily James, in which Cinderella is stronger and more forceful but still doesn't manage to find happiness until she is united with the prince. This lack of female empowerment probably has much to do with the fact that a) The story is a classic and producers are probably reluctant to mess with it too much, and b) The screen play was written by a bloke - Chris Weitz - and directed by a bloke - Kenneth Branagh.

When it comes to the new Smurfs movie we can thank co-script writer Pamela Ribon for the strong feminist theme, not surprising seeing as she also worked on Moana.

It's great to know we can take our kids to see Smurfs: The Lost Village without worrying about the subliminal messaging they may be getting.

And yes, I do remember The Smurfs 2, the previous attempt at a Smurfs reboot which combined actors and animation and featured a second female smurf, Vexy, who starts out evil but ends up living happily ever after in Smurf Village.

Thanks for the one additional female smurf and all but an entire village is much, much better.

Listen to the latest episode of entertainment podcast The Binge.

Which movies would you like to see take more of a feminist slant? Answer in the Comments section below.