Streep returns for season 5 of "Only Murders in the Building"

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.  
 

Emma Mackey cast as White Witch in Gerwig's "Narnia"

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.

 

Streep rumored for voice role in Greta Gerwig's "Narnia" reboot

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 Shadowlands and 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.

Streep makes SNL debut for 50th anniversary special

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. 

Cast of "Only Murders in the Building" nominated for SAG award

The Screen Actors Guild nominations were revealed this morning (sans an in-person announcement due to the raging L.A. wildfires), and the cast of Only Murders in the Building has been nominated for Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series. Meryl, while not a huge part of the latest season, nonetheless is part of the ensemble and therefore nominated. Martin Short was the sole other nominee from the show, snagging a nom for Male Actor in a Comedy Series. 

EDIT: It's been brought to my attention after posting that, similar to receiving individual recognition for many awards, there are requirements for having been in a certain number of episodes to be considered as part of the ensemble. In this case, Meryl is not part of the ensemble and therefore not officially nominated. My apologies for the lazy posting. I should've known better. 

I wonder if Meryl will attend the ceremony along with the rest of the cast. My gut tells me she probably will not (especially if by chance the rumors are true and the filming of Devil Wears Prada 2 starts in February). But mostly it seems that since she's just not in a major role this season she's more likely to bow out of the ceremony. At last year's event, she, Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt re-teamed to award Lead Actor in a Comedy series. I still don't know if her tripping at the beginning was a bit. Regardless, enjoy the video and congrats to the cast!

2025

Happy New Year, Streepers! I hope this post finds you all happy and healthy and ready for a year of good things for Meryl. 

I can't lie, I've been fiending for some Meryl project news as of late. We've been getting teased about a Devil Wears Prada sequel since this summer. Things seemed so legit for a while, but now I'm wondering if it's going to happen at all. The thing that calms my brain a bit is that it would be a tidy release timeline to have it released in theaters in 2026 for a 20th anniversary marketing approach. That reasonably gives us until the fall for a plausible filming timeline. I'm still cautiously optimistic that it'll happen. If it does, and it ends up being released as expected in '26, that'll make it five years between theatrical releases for Meryl, since 2021's Don't Look Up (which itself only had a tiny film release to qualify for awards as it was a Netflix film). 

I think the biggest reason I want Prada to happen is because, if it's a big hit, it may open doors for projects to get greenlit for Meryl. It's no secret that people aren't exactly throwing money at producers to make movies or shows focused on women over 70. Not that said projects don't exist, and it's certainly a better climate for seasoned actresses than it was even twenty years ago, but they're much much harder to come by than for actors under 40. While Meryl can easily play women ten years younger than she is, at 75, the options are slim. 

With all this in mind, I'm really looking forward to hopefully hearing some casting news for The Corrections. I can see filming for this project getting underway this fall with another 2026 release. Alas, there has been zero news of this project since it was originally announced on September 27.  Maybe within the next six months we'll get more news about what Meryl might realistically do in 2026. Was the book she mentioned having optioned while interviewed in Cannes State of Wonder? Was it something completely different, or even something that she doesn't expect to star in? Or maybe a memoir for what could turn into an epic biopic? Only time will tell. And while the anticipation can be part of the fun, I don't think I'm alone in feeling like I need some more concrete confirmation of something solid we'll get to see her in soon. 

I would love nothing more than if we were to get a period of about four or five years in a row where Meryl really wows us. That would bring her to around 80 years old, where one's very life (much less career) is far from predictable. Keep the faith, folks. I don't think she's done. 

Will Meryl star in a 2024 Black List script?

Every December, the Black List is revealed of the "most-liked" unproduced screenplays in Hollywood. I enjoy perusing the list to see if there seems to be anything Meryl might be a fit for. Let's not forget that her last Oscar nomination was for 2017's The Post, from a screenplay that landed Liz Hannah on the list in 2016. 

Fast forward to 2024 and I noticed a handful of projects that seem plausible from the taglines. I'll start with which ones seem most likely or enticing. For reference, the top metion-getter received 60. 

MILDRED by Josh Corbin (9 mentions)

Years after being banished from her family, an aging matriarch returns to the family business to save her estranged children from a deadly criminal syndicate.

DIANA DESTROYS A WEDDING by Elizabeth Evans (18 mentions)

When her youngest son proposes to a middle-class farmer, New York business icon DIANA IVY incentivizes her dysfunctional children to protect the family name the only way she knows how… by creating a competition: whoever can break up the couple during their luxurious seven-day destination wedding will inherit The Ivy’s Lake Como Estate. 

    *Not sure if the age would be appropriate (could be more a Nicole Kidman-type role). 

OLD SOULS by Hannah Stoddard, Jenny Ulmer (13 mentions)

A trio of sassy, elderly women receive a unique offer from Death for a week of youth in exchange for their lives.

    *Might be a bit too 80 for Brady. 

MOTHERBOY by Tess Brewer (13 mentions)

When a woman becomes trapped in a snowstorm with her overbearing mother-in-law and husband over the Thanksgiving holiday, she begins to suspect that their relationship is not as maternal as it seems. BARBARIAN by way of an erotic, Hallmark holiday movie.

    *Seems like it might be age appropriate, but the Hallmark comparison gives me major pause.

IS THIS YOU? by Kaitlin Fontana (11 mentions)

Maura and her mother Jeanne have always had a tricky relationship. But when Jeanne starts publishing essays about her troubled daughter’s teenage years, those versions of her appear like hormone-fueled poltergeists hell-bent on ruining the real Maura’s tenuous adult stability.

   *Again no idea of the ages of the characters here so could be a no-go from day on.

But perhaps the most interesting news related to this year's Black List, however, is the fact that for the first time, they also released (a day later) an "Adaptation List" that highlights 61 novels "primed to be made into big screen and small screen projects." When I saw that headline, I immediately scrolled down the list to see if there was one particular novel included. Lo and behold, Ann Patchett's State of Wonder is on the list. If you don't know the background on my obsession interest in this novel being adapted with Meryl starring as Dr. Swenson, feel free to familiarize yourself here and here. 

I haven't had the feeling of "OK this so has to happen now" since I wrote about The Post back very early 2017. Four months later they were shooting. So Meryl you just gotta do this! Regardless, there are still interesting/complicated roles out there if Meryl wants them (and if they can get funded, I guess)!

I'd be interested to read others' thoughts on any of the Black List scripts that stuck out to them. Happy speculating.