The Devil Wears Prada fans got an extra spring in their step earlier this week when it was reported that Disney is moving forward with a sequel to the 2006 dramedy.
But the sense of relief quickly faded for some, as it wasn’t confirmed that the original main cast would be back, and the plot description suggested that only original stars Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep might be returning, while original lead Anne Hathaway’s character wasn’t a part of the story, according to Variety.
And now remarks that Hathaway made about the possibility of a Devil Wears Prada sequel earlier this year have gained renewed attention.
The 41-year-old Oscar winner spoke about a potential sequel back in March of this year while attending the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
She didn’t sound optimistic about the possibility of returning to the world of the hit film, which grossed over $326 million on a budget of just $35 million, according to Box Office Mojo.
Remarks about a potential Devil Wears Prada sequel that Anne Hathaway made in March at the SAG Awards (pictured) have resurfaced
Her thoughts on the project were revived as fans shared their outrage following reports that a sequel might be made with only original stars Meryl Streeps (center) and Emily Blunt (R)
‘I don’t think a continuation of that story is probably ever gonna happen,’ Hathaway said bluntly while chatting with E! News.
However, she seemed optimistic about working again with Streep and Blunt — she just didn’t appear to want it to be as their Devil Wears Prada characters.
Instead, the Interstellar star said she would be greatly prefer to ‘make something else’ with her costars.
She also indicate that sh ‘would love’ that collaboration to include a reunion with The Devil Wears Prada’s director, David Frankel.
Hathaway suggested that the film became such a popular movie with fans because it was the perfect combination of stars and creative artists at just the right point in their careers, but a sequel wouldn’t necessarily have the same magic.
‘The truth of the matter is — with any film — all we can do is make it,’ she said in reference to the movies legions of fans. ‘The reason that movie felt so special was that we were a team and we did that work, but really it’s the love that everybody pours [in]to it.’
In an age of underwhelming sequels that are made without key figures from the original films, or that lack the care, craft and style that made the initial films so beloved, Hathaway wasn’t interested in going back for a potential embarrassment.
‘Let’s just keep the thing that we all agree with love [sic],’ she said, adding that fans ‘don’t need to worry about a sequel’ possibly polluting their memory of the original film.
‘I don’t think a continuation of that story is probably ever gonna happen,’ Hathaway said bluntly while chatting with E! News
She was interested in working with Blunt and Streep and the film’s director again, but not on a sequel; seen in March at the SAG Awards, where the trio reunited to present an award
Hathaway made her remarks after reuniting with Streep and Blunt onstage at the SAG Awards to present the award for best actor in a comedy series.
Streep initially came out alone, but after she fumbled for her reading glasses and the envelope, Hathaway and Blunt both came on stage and handed them to her, referencing their roles as assistants to Streep’s domineering boss Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada.
While chatting with E! News, Hathaway joked that, even if they didn’t reunite for a sequel, the three women would likely ‘continue to give out awards to other people, so I think there’s a future for that.’
For the planned sequel, Disney is reportedly bring back screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, who adapted the 2006 film from the 2003 novel of the same name by Lauren Weisberger, according to Variety.
The sequel’s story will follow Miranda Priestley and her career in the present, as traditional magazine publishing is on the decline.
While fans were delighted at the news of the popular movie making a comeback, some say they wanted the ‘original cast or nothing’ — and many worriedly questioned whether Hathaway would be reprising her beloved character.
Fans of the 2006 hit film took to X (formerly Twitter) to comment:
‘This will either be incredible or terrible, but if they are doing it we need Anne back too.’ ; ‘Full og cast or nothing.’
Variety reported earlier this week that a sequel for The Devil Wears Prada is finally in the works at Disney – and excited fans demanded that Hathaway reprise her role (pictured in April 2024)
In the original film, Anne’s character Andy is a Northwestern grad and an ambitious journalist who somehow lands a job as a junior personal assistant to Miranda, the editor-in-chief of Runway Magazine
The sequel’s story will follow Miranda Priestley (MIDDLE) and her career in present day as traditional magazine publishing is on the decline
‘No Anne Hathaway? But why?’; ‘Where’s Anne?’; ‘What about Anne?? we need ANNE too.’; ‘Without her??? I’M OUT.’
‘I have mixed feelings about a sequel knowing that there is no Anne Hathaway (for the moment).’; ‘No anne hathaway in the Devil Wears Prada sequel…’
In the original film, Anne’s character Andy is a Northwestern grad and an ambitious journalist who somehow lands a job as a junior personal assistant to Miranda, the editor-in-chief of Runway Magazine.
She tries to use this experience to pave the way for better journalism opportunities but has a hard time fitting in, though she proves more than up for the challenge.
The news of a sequel comes just days after a musical adaptation debuted its first preview performance on London’s West End, with Vanessa Williams as Miranda Priestley and featuring brand new music from Elton John.
She squares off with Charlton, who is said to be a high-powered executive for a luxury group, as Priestley is chasing that company’s ad dollars.
None of the reports have mentioned if Anne would return as Andrea ‘Andy’ Sachs, or if other supporting cast members would return such as Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, Adrian Grenier, Gisele Bundchen and Tracie Thoms.
The original film was adapted from the novel of the same name by Weisberger, which is loosely based on her time as an assistant to Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
The film, directed by David Frankel, was a surprise blockbuster hit, taking in $124.7 million domestic and $326.7 million worldwide from just a $35 million budget.
Meryl won a Golden Globe for her performance and scored an Oscar nomination as well.
Wendy Finerman, who produced the original, will also return to produce, though no director has been attached yet.
Many fans are worriedly questioning whether Anne will be reprising her beloved character
Streep won a Golden Globe for her performance and scored an Oscar nomination as well
There has been talk of a sequel for years, with Weisberger writing a sequel novel Revenge Wears Prada in 2013.
However, the stars of the original have all said they wouldn’t be interested in making that adaptation as a sequel.
Both Emily and Anne recently interviewed each other for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, with Blunt opening up about how much fun they had.
‘We just had a joy bomb of a time on that movie. I don’t know if any of us knew it was going to become what it did. It’s quoted to me every week. It will be the movie that changed my life,’ she said.
It comes as Anne has been busy filming her upcoming thriller Flowervale Street in Atlanta.
Earlier this year, it was announced that she had been cast to lead the then-untitled project with the official name and release date announced in March.
Flowervale Street is co-produced and directed by It Follows’ David Robert Mitchell.
The cast of the forthcoming science fiction film also includes Ewan McGregor, Christian Convery and P.J. Byrne among many others.
Hathaway worried that a sequel wouldn’t have the magic that made the original such a big success
Production for the movie began earlier this year as Hathaway was previously seen on set filming with McGregor in March.
The logline and details about Flowervale Street remain under wraps so not much is currently known about the upcoming movie besides that it will involve dinosaurs and be set in the 1980s.
According to insiders cited by The Hollywood Reporter, Hathaway and McGregor will portray the parents of a family facing off against dinosaurs.
Flowervale Street is set to premiere in theaters on IMAX next year on May 16, 2025.
