Meryl Streep revealed she was prepared to walk away from the original The Devil Wears Prada if her salary demands were not met for the now-iconic role of Miranda Priestly. The 76-year-old Oscar winner said she insisted on a higher fee, admitting she was 'ready to retire' before signing on to the 2006 blockbuster.
She made the comments during a Today appearance on Wednesday, where she reunited with co-stars Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci to promote the upcoming sequel. 'I read the script [for the original], the script was great. They called me up and they made an offer, and I said, "No, not going to do it,"' Streep explained. 'I knew it was going to be a hit, and I wanted to see if I doubled my ask... And they went right away and said, "Sure." I thought, "I’m 50-60 [years old]… it took me this long to understand that I could do that! They needed me, I felt. I was ready to retire. That was a lesson."'
Streep ultimately pocketed a reported $4 million for the role, which earned her a Golden Globe win and an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of the icy editor-in-chief of fictional fashion magazine Runway, loosely inspired by Vogue's Anna Wintour. Meanwhile, Hathaway reportedly earned a $1 million paycheck for the 2006 film, her highest salary at the time. Blunt is said to have taken home around $800,000, while Tucci’s salary has not been publicly disclosed. The film went on to become a global smash, grossing more than $325 million worldwide.
Sequel Developments and Salary
As for her paycheck for The Devil Wears Prada 2, Streep reportedly pocketed $20 million. During the Today chat, Streep also revealed that early discussions about a sequel were already being floated as far back as 2009. 'They started talking about a sequel, but we all waited until we had that good idea,' she said. 'I think we all had to do it as well - you got to have all four of us come back,' added Blunt, who reprises her role as Emily Charlton, Miranda's first assistant in the original film.
'There were mutterings and rumblings for years,' Streep continued. 'Lots of ideas. But it’s almost like the world had to shift in that way for writer Aline [Brosh McKenna] … to get a new idea that made sense. These people had to confront what’s going on in the world of journalism and publishing and politics. Everything has kind of flipped. And that’s cool, that that had a story embedded in it.'
Critical Reception of the Sequel
The star's salary revelation comes as The Devil Wears Prada 2 is already facing a chilly reception, with early reactions suggesting the long-awaited sequel may be far from runway-ready. Several reviews have taken aim at what they describe as a lackluster storyline, arguing the film feels like a watered-down version of its predecessor, even as it is tipped to dominate the box office with an estimated $80 million domestic debut and $180 million globally.
Though Streep has earned some praise, with IndieWire critic Kate Erbland describing her as 'viciously funny' in her return as Miranda Priestly, the overall verdict was less kind. Erbland added that the 'basic plot is pretty thin' and that the original film's 'punch and pop is missing this time around.' The Seattle Times' Moira Macdonald was even more scathing, writing the film 'lacks the first movie's playful spark; it feels like fan fiction, with everyone gamely going through the motions without finding anything fresh.'
Variety's Guy Lodge added, 'It is, by almost any metric, a lesser movie: narratively, emotionally and cinematically flatter, buoyed by game performances that nonetheless steadfastly fail to surprise.' He went on to say the sequel 'functions less as a follow-up than as a kind of tribute act.' Deadline's Damon Wise was blunt in his assessment, writing that The Devil Wears Prada 2 'doesn't really have a story,' though he did single out Tucci for praise, noting he is 'stealing his scenes with a lot more of what worked so well' in the original.
Mixed Reviews but Strong Box Office Prospects
Not all the early reaction was scathing, however. USA Today’s Brian Truitt highlighted the 'warm chemistry' between Hathaway and Tucci, while also praising the dynamic between Blunt’s Emily and Hathaway’s Andy as 'the real throwback that works best.' Writing in The New Yorker, Justin Chang struck a similarly upbeat tone, noting that 'The Devil Wears Prada 2 is, no less than its predecessor, a glossy Manhattan fairy tale, and one so overstuffed with top-of-the-line fabrics that cushy landings are all but certain.' He added that, in some respects, the sequel even proves 'savvier than its predecessor.'
Even The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney found room for praise, writing, 'If you go into The Devil Wears Prada 2 looking for fierce fashion porn, bitchy put-downs and a fresh dose of Meryl Streep's iconic performance as imperious Anna Wintour clone Miranda Priestly, you are unlikely to be disappointed.' Despite the lukewarm critical response, the sequel is still strutting toward a potentially blockbuster opening at the box office. According to Variety, the sequel is eyeing a hefty $75 million to $80 million debut across roughly 4,100 North American theaters, with some projections climbing as high as $90 million to $100 million thanks to the original’s enduring appeal.
Internationally, the film is expected to pull in another $100 million, putting its global opening weekend haul in the $175 million to $190 million range. The big numbers come as 20th Century Studios reportedly splashed out around $100 million on the sequel’s production alone, not including its hefty worldwide marketing spend. That is a significant jump from the original 2006 film, which was made for a comparatively modest $40 million. While the first movie opened to $27.5 million domestically before going on to earn $125 million in North America and $325 million worldwide, the sequel looks poised to outpace it from day one, even if critics are not entirely sold.
