Netflix picks up "The Corrections"

I am actually kind of shocked to see this news today. Of all the projects in the pipeline for Meryl (The Corrections, Useful Idiots, the Joni Mitchell biopic, Mamma Mia! 3), I would've guessed that The Corrections was the most likely to have fallen to the wayside. We have heard zero about it since it was first announced with Meryl being attached way back in September of 2024. Until today. 

Netflix has announced that they have picked up the series, with Cord Jefferson (director and writer of American Fiction, which one him an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay) attached to direct all episodes. As previously announced, author Jonathan Franzen is penning the script based on his 2001 best-selling novel. Streep is listed as one of the executive producers, which is unusual for her. With the announcement of a streamer being attached, as well as a director, this is about as close as it gets to being a sure thing until we actually see pics of her on set. 

It's interesting that Netflix is making a concerted push to produce "prestige projects." Their new VP, Nora Skinner (who came over from HBO in 2024), has apparently been deliberately focusing on this type of project acquisition for the streamer. The next thing to watch for is casting updates! 

If I were to guess, I would think filming for this would be late fall or early 2027, as much of the story takes place around the Christmas holidays.

Story tagline from Deadline:

Based on Franzen’s National Book Award-winning novel, The Corrections is a sharply comic portrait of a Midwestern family whose three unmoored adult siblings desperately resist their mother’s wish for one last Christmas together – each undone by the delusional ambitions that were supposed to save them from becoming their parents.

Streep and Hathaway begin worldwide press tour for "The Devil Wears Prada 2"

It was perhaps a bit dumb of me to think that Meryl wasn't going to do like weeks and weeks of promotion for the upcoming Devil Wears Prada sequel. I had in my mind that she'd do some press junkets and a handful of talk shows in the U.S. in the week or two leading up to its May 1 wide release. As if this isn't like one of the biggest (if not the biggest) movie events of the year. How wrong I was. 

Meryl and her co-star Anne Hathway began what is going to be a month-long whirlwind of press and premieres in Mexico City yesterday. They follow that with Seoul, Shanghai, New York and London. I don't know if Meryl's ever done that global of a campaign before. I know she was in Japan for Mamma Mia!, but she's also never quite been in a position where is quite this much anticipation for a film, due to the original's iconic status in popular culture at this point. Already people are talking about the fashion and how great Meryl looks. I have to agree, particularly as a healthcare provider who works daily with patients over 75. It's remarkable to me how good Meryl's posture is, how youthful her gait pattern is, and how adeptly she seems to be able to navigate wearing heels. That's pretty rare for someone who turns 77 in two months. 

Of course, with the month of April likely filled with responsibilities for the promotion of Prada, Useful Idiots never got underway. I'm getting pretty pessimistic about at this point. Sigourney Weaver, who was cast alongside Meryl had been quoted as saying they were making it in the beginning of 2026. That window has passed. I suppose they could commence filming in May after Streep is done with the Prada tour. Things could get tight if the Joni Mitchell biopic comes to fruition and Cameron Crowe wants to film this year as well. But I could see that starting late summer or early fall. And then there's also Big Little Lies season 3, which could start anywhere from this fall to early 2027 (and while it seems to me that 2027 might be more likely I have to admit my prediction have been poor as of late so it's anyone's guess at this point). The Corrections is probably dead at this point, but again, who knows? What a wonderful problem to have when there are all these announced projects and we're wondering when Meryl might be able to fit them in! I just would really like her to star in a couple of new/original projects soon, which is why I'm pining for Idiots/Joni/Corrections.  

Time will tell. Until then, enjoy these stills of the beautiful co-stars on their press tour. 

Streep likely to feature in season 3 of "Big Little Lies"

Author Liane Moriarty's follow-up novel to Big Little Lies, entitled Big Little Truths, is scheduled for publication this August. In a new article from Variety, we learn more details of the plot of the novel, which is to serve as the template for the upcoming third season of the HBO show. It was announced last fall that a third season was greenlit, and that the story would jump ahead ten years. All the kids will be in high school now, with a new set of problems for themselves and, of course, their doting parents. 

In the article, a partial synopsis of the story specifically includes Meryl's character from season 2, that of Mary Louise, the mother of Alexander Skarsgård's character, who of course was killed at the end of season 1 (spoiler, but seriously how have you not already seen this show?):

Celeste’s mother-in-law, Mary Louise, is behaving oddly — is it old-age forgetfulness and forthrightness, or something more sinister?

So we know that Mary Louise is in the book, and therefore highly likely to be included in the script. I have a feeling that Moriarty, considering she wrote the character of Mary Louise specifically for Meryl (who's real first name is Mary Louise as we all know), wouldn't have included Mary Louise in the new book if it hadn't already been worked out that Meryl would be willing to reprise the role in a third and (likely) final season. 

If they want this to actually be released exactly ten years prior to the first season, it will have to be ready by the end of 2027. That suggests that filming likely needs to get underway by the end of this year, maybe early 2027. It's a nice problem these days to have Meryl's name mentioned in so many possible upcoming projects. I'm not a huge fan that four of them are sort of repeats (Prada 2, Big Little Lies, a potentially third installment of Mamma Mia!, and yet another tedious season of Only Murders in the Building). Which is why I'm so interested in whether or not original projects like Useful Idiots (possibly filming this month??), the Joni Mitchell biopic, and The Corrections will get off the ground. The Gisèle Pelicot role might be a far-fetched rumor, but holy cow would that be a character to unpack.  

I'm just glad there's some reasonable likelihood that we'll see Meryl on screen over the next two years. Hopefully a couple of them will carry with them a bit more meat than a simple rehashing of well-known characters. I suspect Mery may be hungry for that. 

P.S. People who read this blog probably notice that I generally don't care too much about Meryl's voice projects. And it has perhaps been remiss of me to not post anything about the success of the animated film Hoppers. It's got a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, 73 on Metacritic, and has already made $177 millinon in just two weeks in the theaters. There was also a recent article in which Emma Mackey, who's starring in Greta Gerwig's upcoming Narnia film (Narnia: The Magician's Nephew), gives an interview for an Italian magazine and suggests that Meryl is indeed involved in the project. All reports have only ever suggested that her role would be voicing the lion Aslan. There was buzz that after delays that it was possible that Streep wasn't necessarily attached anymore. I honestly didn't pay that close of attention to it, as I couldn't have really cared less whether or not Meryl participated. But this seems to suggest pretty strongly that she is indeed involved. The Narnia film is scheduled for a theatrical release on November 26 of this year, after which it will be released on Netflix on Christmas Day. 

New trailer for "The Devil Wears Prada 2"

They've released a second trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2.

Miranda looks a little more Miranda-like in this second trailer. Less of that "I can't remember you" stuff that made many of us wonder if there was some kind of dementia angle going on. A few snarky one-liners that is much more in line with what we know of her character from the original.

Not a lot of new content that tells us more about the story. Meryl looks amazing in all her looks. We also got a quick glimpse of Kenneth Branagh, who player her husband in the film. Tickets are already going on sale for May 1, which is coming up soon! 

Streep rumored to be in talks to portray Gisèle Pelicot in TV series

The French news magazine Marianne revealed this morning that Meryl is in talks to star in a TV adaptation of Gisèle Pelicot's memoir Et la joie de vivre (the English translation version has the title A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides). Her name was only vaguely familiar to me, and when I looked her up, I realized I was completely ignorant her her story. 

Pelicot came into the news in 2024 when she waived anonymity during a trial against her husband and other men for systematically raping her over the course of several years while she was drugged. She has since become a feminist icon in her native France and abroad. 

From the limited info we have, this is in very early stages, as Pelicot's memoir was only released this month. Some of the online comments I've read on this news are not particularly supportive of a screen adaptation of Pelicot's story, voicing concern over sensationalizing what was not doubt a horrific and traumatic experience. I can't imagine, however, that any adaptation could happen without Pelicot's consent. She would have to sell the rights to the adaptation, and I expect that it it's being developed in the United States, that Meryl Streep would be a name that would draw attention. And this is the kind of role that Meryl tends to be drawn to, with it's real-world implications and focus on drawing attention to stories or causes she feels are important to showcase.  

If we consider logistics of this actually coming to fruition, if the book was just released, I suspect that the script is not even done or possibly not even started. Were it to be developed quickly, maybe this would be ready for filming at the end of 2026. But I tend to think this wouldn't go into production until well into 2027. It's a nice problem to have if we're now worried about when Meryl is going to fill in all her announced projects. Will Useful Idiots indeed start filming next month (I couldn't help but wonder how that could be affected by the untimely and tragic death of Streep's close friend, Martin Short's daughter this week)? Will the Joni Mitchell project start this summer? This fall? Will The Corrections suffer its third production debacle and still not see the light of day? The latter project would seem to fit a scheduling timeline for filming end of this year, which would bring us to two years after Meryl's participation was announced. I still would really love that to happen. 

All other considerations aside, I imagine that if the Pelicot project does eventually happen, that we'll hear Meryl doing a French accent. Although I suspect that most of the action would be in France where they would probably just be speaking French. But I'm sure they'll want it to seem French and not just have everyone speaking in American accents. I'm such a sucker for hearing Meryl change her voice. And of course, her look. 

"Mamma Mia! 3" confirmed?

Deadline shared an article this morning with a quote from NBCUniversal Chairman Donna Langley, saying at the BAFTA's today that "there will be a Mamma Mia! 3." Adding that she and the producer of the original musical, Judy Craymer, are "talking about it," and "If Meryl Streep would like to come back, we'll find a way to bring her back."

Of course, there have been buzzings about a threequel for years now. But this is the most definitive info or quote I've seen or read about it. My guess is that yes, it's going to happen. The only question remains is whether or not Meryl wants to join, and if she does, what that would look like. She had a very minor role in the 2018 sequel, and as we know, was...dead. So the "way to bring her back" has to be centered around how the character of Donna could be featured, or if there would be some twin thing. Who knows. Regardless, if Meryl passed on this I would not be disappointed. One fun thing is that if this were to get going, it wouldn't be unreasonable to consider a 2027 filming schedule, which would have all three films released ten years apart. 

More to come I imagine. 

First full trailer released for "The Devil Wears Prada 2"

The first full trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2 was just released:

There's not a lot we can glean from this in regard to the story. If you weren't already familiar with the original I feel like someone would have absolutely no idea what this movie is about. But I imagine that's sort of what they're banking on, knowing that people appetites for this film are strong and all they/we really want is to them all together. 

All the actors look great, their clothes of course, particularly Miranda's, look stunning. Meryl looks great, if really thin. Of course it was sort of the character, but in your 70s, it can look a little harsh. It was also a little weird how Miranda apparently didn't remember Andrea. I guess it's supposed to read as she never thought about Andrea after she left twenty years ago, but it comes across almost like she's a bit ditzy. I know it's just a trailer, and they'll probably release a second one that might be a bit more serious or give us a sense of the plot. Miranda just seems far less imposing than in the first. And maybe the character is! Maybe she's on the defensive or feels her position is not as it used to be and her confidence and presence are dimmed. 

I'll have to let this percolate for a while and give it a few more watches. Regardless, I can't imagine this film isn't going to do huge numbers at the box office, and it's just great to see Meryl in something big again!

Rolling Stone confirms Streep's participation in Joni Mitchell biopic (and some new set pics from TDWP2)

Rolling Stone is reporting that music producer Clive Davis confirmed Meryl's casting in an upcoming Joni Mitchell biopic to be directed by Cameron Crowe. From the article:

During the annual party held at the Beverly Hilton, Davis was introducing some of the A-listers in attendance and landed on Mitchell, who he said would be portrayed by Streep in Cameron Crowe’s long-in-the-works biopic. Rumors about Streep’s casting first surfaced in July 2024, with the Oscar-winning actress playing an older version of Mitchell in the film, while Anya Taylor-Joy was later rumored to portray the singer in her younger days; Taylor-Joy’s casting has still not been confirmed. When reached for comment, Crowe referred Rolling Stone to Davis’ announcement. Reps for Streep and Mitchell did not reply to a request for comment.

On their own, Davis's words might just be part of the rumor mill. But what strikes me is that Crowe was not only reached for comment, but said that he referred Rolling Stone back to Davis's announcement, which, to me, essentially means he's not only not denying it, but affirming it. Crowe seemed pretty confident in an interview last year when he said he was going to "do it next year" (meaning film it in 2026). And there was that coy response from Anya-Taylor Joy about her participation last fall as well. I'll look forward to additional and possibly even more solid confirmation, however. 

In other news, Vogue released a handful of "first look" stills from the upcoming The Devil Wears Prada sequel. And damn, Meryl look good. 

"Useful Idiots" rumored to begin filming in Toronto in March

The timing of his headline is coincidental, as just yesterday I was feeling pessimistic about Useful Idiots, having had so little news about it since November. This morning TheCinemaholic released an article stating that filming was slated to begin in Toronto in March. 

I was happy to see any news, but I'm cautious due to the source. I'm not super familiar with these guys, but the bit of sleuthing I did did not suggest that they were total crackpots who simply spew rumors. But they're not Deadline, or Variety, or The Hollywood Reported, either. A couple of things make me think there's something to this. One, it's specific to Toronto. Films that take place in New York are often filmed in Toronto as a stand-in because it's cheaper. The March start time fall in line with Sigourney Weaver having previously been quoted as saying she's playing Meryl's best friend in a movie that will film at the beginning of 2026. March is still first quarter, AND it's possible that they could get going before that, too. 

If it does end up starting in March, and if it's a six to ten-week shoot, I imagine that would get a little tricky with the likely press Meryl will do leading up to the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2 on May 1. But I suspect that they're pros and coordinating schedules, and that Meryl and her team can coordinate times or even a contract that would carve out the necessary time she might need for promotion. Sometimes those interviews are done back to back with many journalists from many outlets sort of just coming in one after another to get their sound bites. So, the promotional aspect as a conflict doesn't seem like a huge factor to me. 

I'll look forward to one of the big trades confirming start dates, and of course additional casting news. The further out this goes as far as a filming date, the less likely I see it as a possibility that it would be released in 2026. From looking into Joseph Cedar's other film projects, he seems to often film early in the year, takes quite a while in post, and releases the following calendar year. I wouldn't mind that so much. More to look forward to! 

Looking ahead in 2026

Happy New Year, everyone! I thought I'd pause my watching of Heated Rivalry on a loop for a few minutes to prognosticate a bit on what we might expect to see from Meryl in 2026. 

Let's do a brief recap. The only real thing we've seen from her in four years is a supporting role on Hulu's Only Murders in the Building. She did Emmy and Globe nominations for the first season of it she was in (and won a Critics' Choice Award), but other than that, it has been pretty barren for us Streepers. That all changed last summer when she began shooting The Devil Wears Prada 2. The release date is May 1, so even if nothing else happens with other projects, we have that to look forward to exactly four months from today. 

But I want the other projects too! This fall it was announced that she would star alongside Sigourney Weaver in Joseph Cedar's Useful Idiots. Signs were pointing to an early 2026 shooting schedule, but we haven't had any updates since November. The role is a lead one and the film itself sounds interesting, so I really hope that comes together. Rumors have swirled for a while about Meryl portraying an older version of Joni Mitchell in a biopic directed by Cameron Crowe. Without confirming any casting, Crowe confirmed that he was expecting to begin shooting that film sometime in 2026. Meryl's name has been removed from the IMDb page for Greta Gerwig's Narnia film. I don't even think Meryl was officially confirmed for that anyway. And there's always The Corrections, which we've heard nothing about since it was announced as being optioned for (another try at) a limited series way back in September of 2024. 

I could see this year being as straightforward as Meryl filming a couple of episodes of Only Murders and then doing a bunch of press for Prada in the spring, to her doing all of the above projects within a ten-month period. If Useful Idiots gets off the ground, I feel like it wouldn't be a super long shoot. Same with the Mitchell biopic. If the Corrections happened, I would imagine that filming late fall or winter, considering it's meant to take place leading up to Christmastime. I hope all these projects happen. 

A key factor could be the box office success of Prada 2. If that movie does super well in theaters, which it definitely has the potential to do, that could open a lot of pockets for funding/greenlighting projects for Meryl. It might, for example, get a streaming service to sign on to The Corrections. And just like it did after the first Prada twenty years ago, where Meryl was "besieged with offers," to a likely somewhat lesser degree, Meryl might find herself with a bounty of opportunities, should she choose to say yes to them. This is what I really hope happens. 

No matter what additional projects she joins in the near or far future, we'll get to revisit an iconic character this spring. And if the movie is good enough, there's a narrative for Meryl to break he own record and score a 22nd Oscar nomination for reprising Miranda Priestly.