Full Breakdown
Meryl Streep Calls Marvel Films “Boring” While Promoting *The Devil Wears Prada 2*
5/3/2026, 12:30:37 PM
Streep’s Critique of Marvel’s Narrative Formula
During a May 2 interview on the Hits Radio Breakfast Show, the 76-year-old, three-time Oscar winner described the current cinematic climate as “Marvel-ized.” She said the prevailing structure—“we got the villains and we got the good guys”—makes movies “so boring.” Streep framed her comment as a contrast to the “messier” character work in the upcoming *The Devil Wears Prada 2*, which revisits Miranda Priestly twenty years after the original.
Historical Skepticism Toward Superhero Blockbusters
Streep’s remarks echo a pattern of criticism from established filmmakers. In 2019, director Martin Scorsese declared that superhero movies are “not cinema.” Earlier statements from Francis Ford Coppola and Quentin Tarantino have similarly dismissed the genre, with Tarantino attributing Hollywood’s shortage of movie stars to Marvel’s dominance. These viewpoints have been cited repeatedly in media coverage of Streep’s interview.
Principal Voices
- Meryl Streep – Lead actress portraying Miranda Priestly.
- Walt Disney Studios/Marvel Studios – Producer of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films referenced by Streep.
- Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Quentin Tarantino – Veteran directors whose past comments provide context.
- David Frankel – Director of *The Devil Wears Prada 2*.
- Aline Brosh McKenna – Screenwriter and executive producer of the sequel.
Numbers Behind the Debate
- *The Devil Wears Prada 2* holds a 77 % rating on Rotten Tomatoes (source 7).
- Industry forecasts project an opening weekend of $75 million or more (source 7).
- Streep is 76 years old and has won three Academy Awards (sources 4, 6).
- The MCU has produced a “glut” of superhero titles in recent years, a trend Streep cites as shaping audience expectations (source 6).
Why It Matters – Impact on Film Discourse
Streep’s public dismissal of the MCU’s formula spotlights an ongoing tension between blockbuster franchise cinema and prestige-driven storytelling. When a high-profile actor aligns with a “messier” narrative approach, it reinforces the perception that award-season films and commercial superhero outings occupy distinct artistic spaces.
Official Statements & Responses
- Streep emphasized that realistic, flawed characters are more compelling than the binary hero-vs-villain structure typical of Marvel films.
- Scorsese’s 2019 remark that superhero movies are “not cinema” underscores a longstanding view among some auteurs that the genre lacks artistic depth.
- Coppola and Tarantino have previously criticized Marvel for eclipsing traditional acting talent and for homogenizing storytelling, respectively.
These statements collectively frame the critique as a broader industry conversation rather than an isolated opinion.
Counterpoints from Film Advocates
Critics of Streep’s blanket assessment note that recent superhero entries have embraced nuance. *Deadpool* incorporated trauma-focused themes, while *The Batman* offered a detective-driven, morally ambiguous narrative (source 7). Such examples suggest the genre is evolving beyond simple good-vs-evil tropes.
Conflicting Reception Reports
Deadline’s coverage describes the sequel’s critical reception as “lackluster,” yet also reports strong audience turnout and box-office performance (source 5). This discrepancy highlights divergent metrics—critical appraisal versus commercial success—in evaluating a film’s impact.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We got the villains and we got the good guys, and it’s so boring.” — Meryl Streep, Hits Radio Breakfast Show
- “ She continued, “And what’s really interesting about life is that some of the heroes are flawed and some of the villains are human and interesting and have their own strengths.” — Meryl Streep
- “So that’s what I like about this [movie]. It’s messier.” — Meryl Streep
Upcoming Release and Box-Office Outlook
*The Devil Wears Prada 2* opened in theaters on Friday, May 2, reuniting Streep with co-stars Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci. Early projections anticipate a $75 million-plus opening, positioning the film as a commercial counterpoint to the Marvel franchise it critiques.
