LOS ANGELES May 1, 2026 (LNA Wave) – Meryl Streep has taken aim at the cookie-cutter superhero formula dominating modern Hollywood, calling it simplistic and dull.
In a fresh interview with Hits Radio Breakfast, the Oscar-winning actress criticized what she described as the “Marvel-ized” approach to storytelling.
“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,” Streep said. “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. So that’s what I like about [‘Devil Wears Prada 2’]. It’s messier.”
The comments arrive on the same day The Devil Wears Prada 2 opens in theaters, with Streep reprising her career-defining role as the formidable Miranda Priestly. Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci also return for the long-awaited sequel, which picks up two decades after the 2006 original became a box-office hit and cultural touchstone.
Streep’s remarks underscore a broader Hollywood debate about the dominance of clear-cut hero-villain narratives in big-budget franchises. Many in the industry have voiced similar concerns, arguing that real-life complexity — moral gray areas, flawed protagonists, and multidimensional antagonists — makes for richer cinema.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is now playing in theaters worldwide.
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