Meryl Streep criticized the superhero genre for its lack of character complexity while promoting The Devil Wears Prada 2. The film is expected to perform strongly at the box office this weekend.
Box office analysts predict The Devil Wears Prada 2 will generate at least $70 million in domestic ticket sales. This follows a trend where action and adventure movies accounted for 35% of ticket sales from the top 100 films in 2025. In contrast, action movies brought in 56% of domestic box office dollars as recently as 2022.
Streep expressed her concerns about the current state of cinema, stating, “I think we tend to Marvel-ize the movies now. We got the villains and we got the good guys, and it’s so boring.” Her comments reflect a growing sentiment that superhero films lack depth compared to other genres.
The last Avengers movie, Avengers: Endgame, generated $2.8 billion globally. Despite this success, industry experts like Doug Creutz noted that audiences seem less eager to see superhero films post-pandemic. He remarked, “It appears audiences are no longer eager to see even good superhero films today as they were pre-pandemic.” This shift could impact future box office performances.
The follow-up to The Devil Wears Prada sees Anne Hathaway reprise her role as Andrea Sachs. Emily Blunt also returns in a supporting role. The film’s release marks a significant change as it replaces Avengers: Doomsday during the summer movie season.
For over two decades, superhero films have dominated the summer box office. However, with a steady output of about 25 action films released annually for more than a decade, some observers wonder if audience preferences are shifting towards more complex narratives.
Key statistics:
- Action/adventure movies accounted for 35% of ticket sales from top 100 films in 2025.
- Action movies generated 56% of domestic box office dollars in 2022.
- Avengers: Endgame had $2.8 billion in global ticket sales.
- The number of action films released annually has remained steady at about 25.
- The anticipated opening weekend for The Devil Wears Prada 2 is projected at $70 million.
As Meryl Streep’s film prepares for its debut, industry watchers will be keen to see if it can maintain strong performance amid changing audience expectations and preferences in film genres.