
What Women Want
A sexist Chicago ad executive suddenly gains the ability to hear women’s thoughts after a freak accident, forcing him to out‑sell a rival agency while confronting his own misogyny and winning back his estranged teenage daughter before his career—and family—crash forever.
“He has the power to hear everything women are thinking. Finally... a man is listening.”
Synopsis
Nick Marshall is a self-confident advertising executive who finds his world turned upside down when he suddenly gains the ability to hear what women are thinking. After being overlooked for a promotion, he experiences an accident that triggers this unusual power. Determined to use it to his advantage, Nick turns his attention to Darcy, his new boss, who appears to be developing a romantic interest in him.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 521+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by Thomas J NordbergShot by Dean CundeyScored by Alan SilvestriDesigned by Jon HutmanSound by Dennis DrummondCostumes by Ellen MirojnickStunts by Lance GilbertVFX by Ken Jones
Box Office
2000 · Box office
💰 Box-office hit — grossed 5.3× its budget
Why 2.5×?
Cinemas keep roughly half of every ticket sold, and a wide release’s marketing often costs about as much again as the film — so a movie needs to gross around 2.5× its production budget just to break even theatrically. It’s a rule of thumb, not the studio’s ledger (home video and streaming come later).
Worldwide gross
$374.1M
US & Canada: $182.8M — 49% of worldwide · International: $191.3M (51%)
Opening weekend: $33.6M — 18% of its US run.
Opening week (7-day): $48.6M — 27% of its US & Canada run.
Peak 3,012 theaters
Full synopsis
Also known as
- (French)Ce que veulent les femmes
- Was Frauen wollende
- Ce que veulent les femmesfr
- What Women Want - Quello che le donne voglionoit
Release dates around the world4 countries · showhide
- United StatesDec 13, 2000
- CanadaDec 15, 2000
- GreeceJan 5, 2001
- AustraliaJan 8, 2001
Production & Distribution
Community tags
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Cast & Crew
521 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Supporting cast
107Lisa Edelstein
as Dina
Loretta Devine
as Flo the Doorwoman
Diana Maria Riva
as Stella
Eric Balfour
as Cameron
Andrea Baker
as Office Intern
Jon Frazier
as Truck Driver
Joe Petcka
as Man on Street
Brian Callaway
as Man on Street
Coburn Goss
as Man on Street
Christian Michel
as Man on Street
Perry Cavitt
as Ogling Man
Crystal Mckinney
as Unimpressed Woman
Jeanne Marie Rice
as Unimpressed Woman
Kathrin Middleton
as Gigi's Friend
Logan Lerman
as Young Nick Marshall
Kelly Cooper
as Showgirl
Palmer Davis
as Showgirl
Katie Miller
as Showgirl
Dana Waters
as Nick's Mom
Gregory Cupoli
as Male Role Model
Alexondra Lee
as Woman in Pink Sweater
Aviva Gale
as Counter Girl
Shirley Prestia
as Coffee Shop Customer
Tj Thyne
as Coffee Shop Customer
Norman H Smith
as Norm
Audrey Wasilewski
as Secretary with Danish, Kitchen Secretary
Angela Oh
as Jess, Dan's Secretary
Robert Briscoe Evans
as Ted
Chris Rolfes
as Woman in Park
Katie Kneeland
as Woman in Park
Jeanine O Connell
as Woman in Park
Kelley Hazen
as Woman in Park
Brooke Elliott
as Woman in Park
Kristina Martin
as Woman in Park
Harmony Rousseau
as Sloane, Curtis Receptionist
Lisa Long
as Sloane, Curtis Executive
Heidi Helmer
as Marshall Field's Shopper
Marla Martensen
as Marshall Field's Shopper
Sally Meyers Kovler
as Marshall Field's Shopper
Ashley Quirico
as Marshall Field's Shopper
Regan Rohde
as Marshall Field's Shopper
Liz Tannebaum
as Marshall Field's Shopper
Leshay N Tomlinson
as Marshall Field's Shopper
Cristine Rose
as Sloane, Curtis Attorney
Arden Myrin
as Darcy's Assistant
Rachel Duncan
as Alex's Friend
Alex Mckenna
as Alex's Friend
Regiane Gorski
as Yoga Instructor
Juliandra Gillen
as Woman in Library
Lisa Anne Hillman
as Woman in Library
Tracy Pacheco
as Woman in Library
Ashlee Turner
as Woman in Library
Jamie Gutterman
as Jogger by Lake
Maggie Egan
as Kitchen Secretary
Juanita Jennings
as Kitchen Secretary
Robin Pearson Rose
as Kitchen Secretary
Hallie Meyers Shyer
as Girl at Lunch Counter
Laura Quicksilver
as Girl at Lunch Counter
Kate Asner
as Woman at Lunch Counter
Caryn Greenhut
as Woman at Lunch Counter
Jennifer Greenhut
as Woman at Lunch Counter
Marnie Mosiman
as Woman at Lunch Counter
Sierra Pecheur
as Woman at Lunch Counter
Nnenna Freelon
as Nightclub Singer
Gil Hacohen
as Haim
Nancy Monsarat
as Nike Executive
Jacqueline Thomas
as Nike Executive
Rory Rubin Byrne
as Nike Executive
Christopher Emerson
as Mail Room Kid
Victoria Kelleher
as Secretary
Gertrude Wong
as Old Woman in Chinatown
Andi Eystad
as Girl at Prom
Greg Bronson
as Upscale Pedestrian
Kira Coplin
as Alex's Friend
Kiva Dawson
as Showgirl
David C Fisher
as Restaurant Patron
Elizabeth Friedman
as Classmate
Kevin Gardner
as Party Guest
Melanie Good
as Showgirl
Anna Greeno
as Nike Runner
Michelle Hodan
as Quaalude Girl
Drew Howerton
as Boy at Prom
Mike Knox
as Sir Karloff
Kimberly Lyon
as Showgirl
Tj Martin
as Police Detective, Day Player
Krista Mcroberts
as Angela
Maureen Mendoza
as Lawyer
Heidi Merrick
as Secretary
Bette Midler
as Dr. J.M. Perkins
Oriah Mirza
as Ad Executive
Robin Nance
as Redhead
Grace O Neill
as Shopper
Kristine Perchetti
as Showgirl
Kristin Sales
as Robin
Jean Sawin
as Woman Getting in Taxi
Andy Schofield
as Man in Park
Richard Simmons
as Richard Simmons
Nancy Sinclair
as Woman Getting Manicure
Nicki Sixteen
as Girl at Prom
Melinda Songer Soderling
as Dancer
Lauren Stewart
as Gigi's Friend #3
Martha Stewart
as Martha Stewart
Tracey Stone
as Black-Haired Beauty
Dean Teaster
as Taxi Driver
Gena Vazquez
as Marshall Fields Shopper
Danielle Weeks
as Meg Ryan Lookalike
Nancy Wetzel
as Co-Worker
Directors
1Writers
4Producers
12Bruce A Block
co-producer
Bruce Davey
Producer, Producers
C Marie Davis
executive visual effects producer: CIS Hollywood
Carmen Finestra
executive producer
David Mcfadzean
executive producer
Gina Matthews
Producer, Producers
Jessica Trento
visual effects producer: CFX
Mark Franco
visual effects executive producer: CFX
Matt Williams
producer
Nancy Meyers
Producer
Stephen Mceveety
executive producer
Susan Cartsonis
Producer, Producers
Other crew
391Lisa Cash
Additional Crew
Carol Littleton
additional editor
Kay Majerus
additional hair stylist
Mark Landon
additional makeup artist
Patricia Messina
additional makeup artist
Stacy Halax
additional makeup artist
Craig Comstock
additional second assistant director
Traci M Lewis
additional second assistant director: Chicago (as Traci Lewis)
Bill W Benton Nm0072904
additional sound re-recording mixer
Jeffrey J Haboush
additional sound re-recording mixer
Joe Schiff
adr assistant
Nico Salvato
adr assistant
Parents Guide
AI Personalities
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Trailers
What Women Want - Trailer
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