Deadline is reporting that producer Judy Craymer is confident that a third Mamma Mia! film will come to fruition. In the interview, Craymer, the force behind the stage musical and its subsequent two films, mentioned that Sabrina Carpenter would portray a "goddess or some relation who would look very much like Meryl Streep." I'm not exactly sure what that means, but it makes me think that Carpenter would be playing a younger version of Meryl or her granddaughter perhaps? I can actually see the resemblance in the photo below.
Craymer flat out confirmed that Meryl would be in the third film, "nodding affirmatively" when asked, and adding "Yeah, she (Meryl) said our after-shooting dinners were legendary. There is a script, but I'm not going there." Craymer also suggested the possibility of a Mamma Mia! television series in the future.
I could of course take it or leave it if Meryl involved herself in this project. But I do like the idea of her being involved in another film that does well at the box office, especially if she has more than a cameo like she did in the sequel. That, combined with the Devil Wears Prada sequel could be a nice boon to her career, which only helps in green-lighting future projects in which Meryl might wish to participate.
Looks like it's actually going to happen, people. Sources are reporting that Disney has set an official release date of May 1, 2026 for The Devil Wears Prada 2. I can only imagine that filming will therefore have to take place sometime starting this summer or early fall at the latest.
Hurray! While I'm not necessarily a big fan of Meryl going sequels, her output has been pretty quiet the last few years, and this project has the potential to really get things going for her again. It also makes sense that they're releasing it in 2026, as that will be a tidy twenty years since the original. That might help a little with the marketing campaign for the film. I really hope the script is solid, because if this becomes a box office hit, just like after the original, Meryl could be besieged with offers for new projects. I recognize that the landscape is a little different for a 75 year-old than for a 55 year-old, but I also know that many of the best scripts/projects these days for actors are on television compared to film, which was not the case in 2006.
I'm looking forward to getting more details on the official casting announcements and shooting schedule. And what will Miranda look like this time around? As an aside, I also wonder if The Devil Wears Prada 2 is the official movie title. I'd kind of prefer something a little more interesting like The Devil (Still) Wears Prada (or something like that but better). Not a huge deal, it just screams so tent-pole pic vs something that might actually have some weight to it from a character perspective. either way, just glad that Meryl's getting out there for something big again.
Multiple sources are reporting today that Carey Mulligan has joined Greta Gerwig's Chronicles of Narnia pic for Netflix. Mulligan is apparently set to portray one of the two children's ill mother. So, likely a rather supporting role.
Not that I care a whole lot about Meryl's voice work (as I've mentioned ad nauseam), but if she's going to be involved in projects, it's nice to see that the team involved includes very well-respected individuals. Mulligan is a favorite of mine. Too bad all we'll have is Meryl's voice.
While I wasn't expecting that Meryl would not be part of the upcoming fifth season of Only Murders in the Building, we hadn't really had any confirmation of her participation until today. She was spotted with her on-screen husband/real-life boyfriend Martin Short on the sidewalk while filming a scene for the show.
It's not news to anyone who reads this blog that I'm kind of ambivalent about Meryl's ongoing participation in this show. Yes, it's great if she's happy and having a good time blah blah blah. I'm just happy she's working, which shows she hasn't planned to simply fade away.
For additional photos, click here. If previous seasons are any indication, we can expect new episodes sometime late summer.
I gotta be honest, guys. I don't care all that much about Meryl being involved in Greta Gerwig's upcoming Chronicles of Narnia movie(s) for Netflix. Meryl's voice work is wonderful, but it's not all that exciting to me. Alas, it appears to be the only 'close-to' confirmation of anything she's apparently attached to doing, so I figured I should comment on bigger updates for the production. And it at least shows that she's still interested in still working, to some degree.
With that in mind, multiple sources are reporting that Emma Mackey (Sex Education, Emily, Barbie) is rumored to have landed the role as the White Witch. Margaret Qualley was mentioned as vying for the role as well. From the article:
White Witch, whose name is Jadis, is the primary antagonist of not just Magician’s Nephew but also the best known of all the Narnia books, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. She is the one who plunged Narnia into an endless winter (where it never ever gets to Christmas) and turns her enemies into statues.
Narnia is expected to have a two-week release in Imax theaters late 2026.
Maybe it's an early April Fools' joke, but a few articles are going around (none from super reputable sources) that Meryl has been approached to voice the role of Aslan in Greta Gerwig's upcoming Chronicles of Narnia reboot for Netflix. I think this is pretty believable news, as the two worked together on 2019's Little Women, and I think it's understood that they're both fans of each other.
I know next to nothing about the Narnia books, other than the fact that I like the movie Shadowlandsand that stars Anthony Hopkins as the author, C.S. Lewis. My understanding is that this would be an adaptation of The Magician's Nephew, which chronologically takes place prior to the other Narnia books. Sounds like Meryl would be up for role of the lion "Aslan" the lion, who evidently is an "allegory for Jesus." Kind of interesting that they're possibly having that character voiced by a woman. And it would probably be a fairly prominent role (Gerwig is reportedly set to direct at least two films).
I'm generally not all that interested historically in Meryl's voice work, but it's always nice to hear/know that she's signing up for projects. Here's hoping we can get some news soon on The Corrections and/or the Devil Wears Prada sequel (or heaven forbid something completely new or original).
The film is scheduled to film later this year, ahead of its planned IMAX release in November 2026.
Saturday Night Live celebrated its 50th anniversary with a televised special last night. The three-hour production featured a slew of past and present cast members, as well as multiple celebrities, most of whom have connections with the show, having either hosted or been musical guests in the past.
Meryl is not one of those people. Despite regular suggestions/pleas from the public, she's never hosted the show, and certainly hasn't been the musical guest. Last night, however, she made her first appearance on the show in a reboot of the classic sketch "Close Encounter" (which happens to be one of my all-time favorites), where government officials interview people who have reportedly survived alien abductions. Kate McKinnon is sort of the lead in the sketch, portraying a...let's just say 'not sophisticated' woman who very colorfully describes her experiences with the abductions. Meryl joins Pedro Pascal and Woody Harrelson in the sketch (her part starts at 4:36).
I cracked up quite a few times, particularly when Meryl broke character a bit when delivering her last line. This cracked up McKinnon as well, which was fun to see. Meryl seemed to be channeling a bit of Violet Weston with her cigarette and southern drawl. There were also fun little side references to Into the Woods and The Devil Wears Prada, drawing applause from the audience. It was sweet to see McKinnon hug Meryl and give her a little peck on the cheek as they exited the stage. I wonder if McKinnon specifically reached out to Meryl to see if she wanted to participate. The two had worked together on McKinnon's 2019 Audible original podcast Heads Will Roll. I remember listening to it during lockdown and really enjoying it. Or maybe Meryl's "friend" Martin Short had a connection that ended up landing Streep on the SNL special. The two were seen together at a concert event for the 50th anniversary special a few days ago, where Meryl drew more laughs for flipping off Will Ferrell and Ana Gasteyer (in good humor in fitting with their bit).
Speaking of The Devil Wears Prada, we're now well into February without any additional news on whether or not a sequel is moving forward. Some earlier reports had suggested filming was to begin in February (still could I guess). Presumed cast members have been pretty cagey when asked about it in interviews in recent months. Stanley Tucci in particular said flat out that he didn't know if it was happening. But more recently he seemed to intimate that he knew more than he originally let on, saying to Variety last month, "I know they’re working on it. If it happens, I would be so happy, but I cannot give you any information. Otherwise, I’ll go to the actor’s prison or something."
Still plenty of time to get filming underway for a 2026 (20th anniversary of original) release date.
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