Will Streep star in a 2025 Blacklist script?

Most years, when the Hollywood Blacklist of "most-liked" unproduced scripts comes out in December I scan the titles to see if any of the taglines suggest that they could star Meryl. Not many do, but usually I can find one that seems plausible, at least from the one to two sentence description. I can remember reading a version of Nyad a decade ago and imagining Meryl taking on that role. Then of course there was The Post, which only a few months after being on the Blacklist was in production with Meryl and released later that year. 

One script from this year's list caught my eye. I'll be honest I didn't read every single tagline because after the first twenty or so how good is the script really expected to be? But Joe Ferran's Leverage, with 23 mentions (which had it tied for seventh with number-one having 46 mentions) made me wonder if the main character referenced could be of an age suitable for Meryl:

After a high-profile murder threatens a multi-billion dollar hostile takeover, an embattled Wall Street titan emerges as the prime suspect and must win a war of perception in order to protect her empire at all costs.

Age (and gender of course) are two high hurdles these days for scripts that might suit Meryl. An "embattled Wall Street titan" doesn't exactly strike me as someone in their thirties or forties. I like the idea  of it maybe being a bit of a thriller or perhaps a bit political. I also like that the main character is a suspect for murder. It's an interesting twist that I don't think we've seen Meryl navigate. I wonder a little bit if it's a little too close to a Miranda Priestly-like ball busting role, but I imagine that it wouldn't have to be. 

I happened to notice that there were a handful of scripts that seemed to center on billionaires. None of them suggest a particularly flattering depiction of said characters, not that they're historically considered pillars of high moral standards. But I wonder if it's a bit of the sign of the times, with the current occupant of our White House and the "affordability" crisis looming so largely in people's minds, the stories in these scripts may showcase these ever-increasing large gaps in wealth among the American electorate. 

Speaking of corruption and stories of rich magnates, there was news yesterday of Sigourney Weaver being in talks to join Amazon's live-action Tomb Raider series. It's apparently got a filming start date of January 19. A commenter on Word on the Streep suggested that with Weaver joining this project that Useful Idiots is to be either postponed or scrapped completely. While that could certainly be the case, I'm not sure this news automatically indicates that 1) Weaver has dropped out of Useful Idiots, 2) she couldn't film both in a short period of time, particularly if one or both of her roles are relatively small, and 3) Useful Idiots is doomed. Weaver had said in a recent interview that she was filming the movie with Meryl in early 2026. The trades recently confirmed it, and it's got a solid director attached. It seemed so prime for production, but it's easy to remember how the news for The Great Lillian Hall (originally entitled Places, Please) was announced in February 2021, with an expected filming start slated for that summer. Of course Meryl never starred in that film, and it lay dormant for two years before Jessica Lange took over the role and it moved to TV for a spring '24 release. 

I sure hope it still happens! But now my pessimistic brain has me worried. What do you guys think?

Predicting the Emmys

The Primetime Emmys are tomorrow night, and Meryl is of course nominated for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for work in season 3 of Only Murders in the Building. I saw a pic of Meryl's face in a seating chart for the show, so it appears that she'll be attending! I wonder if we'll see her hand-in-hand with co-star Martin Short. 

I had the chance to watch the Robin Roberts Emmy special on ABC and it was interesting to hear Meryl talk about the sort of genesis of her joining the show. She basically shared that she was getting sort of down due to world events and needed to experience something happy. It makes me wonder if it's possible that she held back on participating in other projects that may have been 'heavier' because she just wasn't in a good frame of mind. Places, Please (or The Great Lillian Hall as it came to be) was not exactly a ball of laughs, for example. I know I've been clear about how ambivalent I am about Meryl possibly being sequels for The Devil Wears Prada and Mamma Mia!. But if it provides her a sort of reset to be able to possibly dig into things a bit more meaty, then I'm all for it. 

To the Emmys. Meryl has a decent shot to take this. But the odds are on Hannah Einbinder for Hacks. I wouldn't be bummed at all if she took the trophy, because I'm a huge fan of that show. Only thing that bugs me is that she's totally not supporting. She and Jean Smart are absolutely co-leads. But that's how things go these days when there are two people of the same gender too close to cancelling each other out in the same category. 

Other categories I'm interested in seeing are for Limited Series (Baby Reindeer is the front-runner and I really enjoyed the show), and how The Bear does. I love that show, but it's complete category fraud, in my opinion that it's in comedy. Shogun is going to win in a lot of top categories from drama. I'm also kind of pulling for Juno Temple in Fargo and Andrew Scott in Ripley. 

The show airs at 7 p.m. central time on ABC Sunday night. I'll leave y'all with this little nugget of Carol Burnett getting a little message from Meryl. 

Episode 3 of "Only Murders in the Building"

Episode three of Only Murders in the Building was released on Hulu last night, and with it, we were given a gem of a musical performance from Meryl that is already making some waves on social media. 

Streep is joined by Ashley Park for the duet, written by the great Sara Bareilles, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. In the episode, Loretta gets an offer for a small but recurring role on a Grey's Anatomy-like spinoff, but ends up turning it down to stay on for Oliver's play, which he's turned into a musical (thus the lullaby above). Hulu has already released the song as a single, and as mentioned above, there are dozens of articles praising the performance, as well as fans' naturally riotous reactions. 

Meryl continues to garner shining reviews for her portrayal of Loretta Durkin. One article I read commented on nicely Streep is managing to keep the audience guessing as to whether or not Loretta is just a quirky New Yorker, or a diabolical schemer with her sights set on ending some member Oliver's cast (possibly even Oliver). The little romance budding between Streep and Short's characters is sweet, but I agree that it makes me wonder if Loretta is really falling for him or simply trying to get close to him for less than affectionate reasons. 

I do have to reiterate that as much as I'm thrilled to see new material from Meryl (and that it's being received so well), I want a non-comedy or musical-type role for one of her next projects. I caught an article that suggested that Meryl should do more rom-coms. While I agree that she's a draw and is excellent in films like 2009's It's Complicated, it's not the type of project that gets me as excited to watch or that got me interested in her from start, frankly. Having something lighter sprinkled in with more dramatic roles is a good idea, but I don't want it to turn into the default in the near or distant future. My fear is that it may be where the parts are (but ahem...Places, Please). 

In other news, it was announced yesterday that Meryl will be honored (along with Oprah Winfrey, Michael B. Jordan, and Sofia Coppola) at an Academy Museum Gala on October 14. The event is being classified as a "fundraiser" so as to bypass the SAG-AFTRA strike. No word on whether or not we'll see Meryl in attendance. Sreep is set to receive the Icon Awards which "celebrates an artist whose career has had a significant global cultural impact." Indeed. 

The loss of "Places, Please"

I posted about three months ago that it seemed like Glenn Close was now attached to lead Places, Please, a feature film that was announced two years ago and was supposed to star Meryl. Since then, we've learned that Jessica Lange is actually going to be the one portraying Lillian Hall, not Close. More recently, and what prompted me wanting to post more about this, is that Kathy Bates has been revealed as starring as well. The loss of this film burns even more now, knowing that Meryl could've been a movie along with Kathy Bates! Filming is currently underway in Georgia. 

As I'm sure I've mentioned before, I'm not sure why this film didn't end up getting filmed when they originally said they were going to (summer 2021). I've speculated on the possibilities of why Meryl may have not participated. But it's not like we haven't seen scenarios like this before; something promising gets announced, and then it just never happens with Meryl (and sometimes not with anyone). Examples that come to mind: Evita, Mary Stuart, Daughter of the Queen of Sheba, Dirty Tricks, Mommy & Me, First Man, The Good House. 

I honestly think that if I ever had the chance to chat with Meryl and if she were open to my questions, the biggest thing I'd love to ask her is what exactly happened or happens in situations like this (and for each particular film--if she could recall). It sort of all ties into my longstanding fascination about projects of hers that never came to be, or ones that she may have been hovering around but was never announced or cast, or for more juicy gossip, which she was turned down for and had really wanted--the ones we don't already know about (which are few, or course)! Only in my dreams. 

Streep replaced in "Places, Please"?

There are rumblings on Awards Worthy today that suggest Places, Please is back on track and in pre-production. I looked on IMDb and while the film's status was indeed changed to "pre-production" on March 13, and Atlanta has been listed as a filming site, Meryl's name is no longer listed as attached. 

There is also this link to screenwriter Elisabeth Seldes Annacone's bio page on the UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television. In the second paragraph there is a line that reads: "Seldes Annacone has also written a number of screenplays. Her most recent, Places, Please, is slated to begin filming in January 2023 with Glenn Close and Kathy Bates." That's some pretty specific info that seems unlikely to be incorrect (except for maybe the part that filming started in January). 

I'm surprised I'm as bummed about this news (if it's true) as I am. I'd pretty much given up on the possibility of this movie happening, as nothing has been mentioned about it since its announcement just over two years ago now. But Meryl hasn't had a lead role onscreen for what seems like forever at this point, and there's no definitive news about anything else coming along. The Tarantino film seems tenuous at best (still holding out hope), and Extrapolations was a bit part. Even Murders in the Building, while sure to be fun and entertaining, is highly likely going to max out as a guest/supporting role in a single season for her. 

Imagine if we were getting news that Meryl was actually filming Places, Please this spring and then The Movie Critic (or whatever it'll be called). The first could be complete for release this year, the other next year. And OMG if she got to star alongside Kathy Bates?! How wonderful that'd be! I'm assuming Close will portray Lillian Hall. Good for her, regardless. If the role is as strong as I was hoping, maybe it'll put Glenn in the running for her much overdue Oscar. Still, I wish wholeheartedly that it were still Meryl in the part. 

Will Meryl be cast in the upcoming screen adaptation of Hillary Clinton's novel?

Late last week, multiple sources announced that Hillary Clinton's recent novel, State of Terror, has been acquired for development into a feature film. I have to admit that I wasn't even aware Clinton had published a novel. But she has, it's gotten strong reviews, and now it's being executive produced by Clinton and her co-author, Louise Penny, along with Clinton's production company HiddenLight Productions and Gigi Pritzker's Madison Wells. A short blurb from the article: 

"This high-stakes thriller of international intrigue follows novice Secretary of State Ellen Adams, who is unexpectedly brought into the administration by a newly-elected President, her political and personal adversary. Events soon erupt that sweep her into a world of global intrigue and diplomacy where the stakes could not be higher and the potential consequences, both personal and global, could not be greater."

It's not hard to figure out where Clinton got her inspiration for the story. And it seems like it could be a juicy role for a woman over 50. In one description I read, they described Ellen as "middle-aged," but the character also has an adult daughter who now runs her media empire. Any concern of Streep potentially being too old for the part might not be a huge problem. Clinton was 65 when she left the office of Secretary of State in 2017. Meryl, even if the film were not to shoot for another two years (I have not even seen a screenwriter attached at this point), would be close to 75. Still doable, as she can easily play parts ten years younger. While not a true biopic, this project wouldn't be completely unlike when she filmed The Devil Wears Prada, a story adapted from a novel, which in turn was loosely based on real people. 

It would be an intriguing character, and the kind of political story Meryl has occasion to involve herself with. She and Clinton are friends (or at least friendly), so I can't imagine her name won't at least come up in the casting conversation, if it hasn't already. Places, Please was announced one year ago this coming Friday, with zero follow up info on the film's status since. Without any other projects confirmed or rumored, I'll be doing a lot of speculating in the coming weeks/months about possible projects. I would be thrilled if we learn that Places, Please is set to film this spring with a late 2022 release. Then we'll maybe get casting news on State of Terror sometime later this year. And if we throw in a true biopic (see any of the amazing options from Poll #13), that's an original screenplay, a novel adaptation, and a biopic all in a row in lead parts. 

Let the powers that be get to work! 

Poll #13: Whom would you like to next see Meryl portray in a biopic?

Whenever we're in a sort of lull in casting news for Meryl, I tend to ruminate on possibilities of what might come. As Meryl approaches her 73rd birthday this summer, the options for roles, much less lead roles, are growing slimmer and slimmer. So often biopics don't portray people primarily in their old(er) age. But I suspect there are a handful of reasonable prospects our there still. I'm going to offer a few suggestions below and hope folks will feel right to add any I haven't listed or thought of. I'm purposely leaving Lilly Ledbetter, Diana Nyad and Golda Meir off the list, since pics of them have already been recently cast with other actors. 

Source material in general for meaty Streep roles is the key to us seeing her in good stuff and working with great directors. I've recently added a few novels to my to-read list with female protagonists over 60, which after reading I plan to comment on the blog about whether I think they'd be good fits for Meryl, were they adapted to the screen. Maybe Meryl will read my posts and snatch up the rights to one of them before Frances McDormand can swoop in and win her fourth (acting) Oscar it. 

Then there's always original screenplays. Like Places, Please. I still think it's weird how completely absent any talk of that project has been since it was first announced almost a year ago now. Hopefully we get some news about what next soon. Of course I'm also curious to learn exactly what Meryl's role will end up being in Extrapolations. Until then, fire away at the biopic role poll.

What's in store for 2022?

Happy New Year! As 2021 came to a close, people can't stop talking about Don't Look Up and the film is a big hit for Netflix. It's nice to see that although there were a lot of people who didn't like it, there are a lot of people who do, and it has sparked quite a bit of attention and discussion. It'll be fun to see how it fares in the upcoming months of awards season. SAG nominations come out on the 12th, and I think the cast has a decent shot at an ensemble nod. 

Beyond that, the Apple TV+ limited series Extrapolations is apparently already shooting (or maybe is done shooting?). There is still zero information on what Meryl's role is going to be, but it'd be nice if it were substantial in size. Tough to predict when we'll get to see this show, but I'm guessing it'll be the second half of this year, most likely fourth quarter. 

And speaking of zero information, that's what we've had about Places, Please since it was announced almost a year ago now that Meryl would be starring in it. I'm sure it's still possible that they'll pull it together. In fact, it seems the type of movie that wouldn't need a lot of time in post, so could reasonably shoot this spring and be released by the end of the year. By the way she and the would-be director, Michael Cristofer, were interviewed about it at the time of the announcement, it seemed like a pretty sure thing. There was obviously a director attached, they had producers (including Meryl, which is rare), and they apparently had a shooting start date planned for summer. Then it was radio silence. Considering that Cristofer has described the role of Lillian Hall as "extraordinary," I hope we get to see Meryl in this. 

How about beyond that? There are no new projects that have been revealed which Streep is expected to do. She's likely going to tie her longest streak of not being nominated for an Oscar this year (unless by some miracle she sneaks in for Don't Look Up). We know we'll continue to see her in stuff, but leading roles in things that aren't crap and going to be increasingly difficult to come by. Maybe we will see her producing more in order to ensure she's getting to play things she finds interesting and challenging.

Regardless of what's next, I look forward to a handful of meaty dramas. She's great in comedy of course, but my favorite Meryl is when she's in the deep stuff, which she hasn't done a ton of in recent years. Again the roles have to be there. But knowing that just within the next year we're going to see three biopics alone from women in her age demographic (Helen Mirren as Golda Meir, Patricia Clarkson as Lilly Ledbetter, and Annette Bening as Diana Nyad), it's not like these types of films aren't getting made. I love a good biopic, and it has been four years since she's been in in on (The Post). But I hope her next big role that garners a lot of attention and praise is for an original character. Maybe Places, Please will end up being that one. 

Poll #11: Who should play Meryl's daughter when (and if?) "Places, Please" is cast?

I had mentioned in my last post that I might do a poll of whom people think should be cast as Meryl's daughter in the (hopefully) upcoming film, Places, Please. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and I've commented below the poll on a couple to which I might be partial. I figure it's likely to not be a HUGE name, as the role is probably more a supporting one. But you never know...it is a chance to work with Meryl, after all.  

For whatever reason, Phoebe Waller-Bridge seems like a good choice. I've never actually seen Fleabag, but she seems really cool on awards shows and it well-respected as far as I know. And I had no idea she was in The Iron Lady AND Albert Nobbs in the same year! I've currently been watching the 2013 limited series The White Queen (I have a bit of an obsession with the history of the English monarchy and particularly the Wars of the Roses), and I think Rebecca Ferguson is great. Both she and Waller-Bridge seem good from a resemblance standpoint too. With that in mind, I realize I've chosen all white actresses in this list. I expect that the casting won't be "outside of the box" in that they'd cast a person of color (not that Lillian Hall couldn't have had a child with a non-white gentleman or have adopted a child outside her own race). I tend to think that some might find that a bit contrived, but regardless, I'd be here for it. 

I'm hoping this poll wills this film (or any new project) into existence. For all we know, they're already shooting. 

Where is "Places, Please"?

It has now been seven months since we first learned that Meryl was going to star in the feature film, Places, Please. Set to be directed by Michael Christopher, early reports claimed that filming was to begin this "summer." I posted about two months ago how it was strange that we still hadn't heard any further casting news for this project. I tried to be rational in remembering that there was plenty of summer left, and that lots of things get done in Hollywood without us ever realizing they're taking place. 

Well, it's officially fall now, and there has still been zip announced on this production. And there's nothing else out there in terms of other projects that we can even anticipate from a rumors standpoint at this point either.  Yes, yes, it's possible we'll get an announcement any time now that filming is set to get underway. Or that the daughter of Meryl's character has been cast (ooo! I should do a poll to see who people think it should be!), and it's even possible that production could get pushed to spring, and still release it by next fall. I expect that a lot of the scenes will be interiors anyway, so it probably doesn't matter much what time of year they shoot in New York. 

Regardless, I hope this gets going soon. Hell, maybe soon we'll even get some news on a brand new project Streep hopes to shoot next year!

Thoughts on "Places, Please"

We're already halfway through summer and nary a word has been printed about the status of Places, Please since its announcement five months ago. At the time, filming was listed as starting sometime in the summer. I thought I had read somewhere that it was supposed to be early summer, but I rechecked a few articles and cannot find where that may have been. So, I guess I shouldn't get too impatient about the possibility that it might not start until closer to September. 

That said, it's a bit strange that there's been no further casting news. With this idea, however, I should probably pause and remind myself that so much of the inner workings and dealing of film casting goes by under the radar. Look at the recent casting news of Babylon. We were all waiting with baited breath to learn whether or not Meryl would be announced in the role of Elinor Glyn, only to learn about Jean Smart's casting while filming was already underway. For all we know, Places, Please may already have its full cast assembled, and are only days away from shooting. 

One thing that I hadn't picked up on quite as closely when reading the brief character synopsis from Deadline was where they describe the character contending with "the demands of ageing, its real and perceptual debilities," and "...the betrayals of others and her own body." This makes me wonder if Lillian Hall will have some kind of illness or physical functional impairment (beyond the typical wear and tear of that goes along with ageing). If so, it's one added element to complicate the life of this woman. 

I also have to say that the idea of this film being a sort of love letter to Broadway is already resonating with me. I'm a huge fan of live theater, and having had the opportunity to see my first live opera in sixteen months last weekend, I was strongly reminded of how much I missed in-person performances. I'm taking a trip to New York this fall as well, and was surprised how scarce many online tickets were for Broadway shows. I'm just grateful that things have opened to some degree, and I pray (figuratively) that we can continue in that fashion. People are hungry for that kind of experience again. Myself included.  

No "Babylon" for Streep

Well, after more than a year of speculation that Meryl might be cast in a supporting role in Damien Chazelle's upcoming drama, Babylon, it was revealed today that Jean Smart has taken the role: 

Jean Smart has been cast alongside Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie in Damien Chazelle’s ‘BABYLON’.

(Source: https://t.co/rEVzoKOYu8) pic.twitter.com/khCznAKGU7

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 12, 2021

They do not name the character, but describe her as a "journalist-critic who can make or break careers."  That's basically the role of Elinor Glyn. I have a feeling they changed the name, and that she may no longer be British. From what I understand, they changed several of the characters to only be similar to real life characters like Clara Bow and Anna May Wong, not the actual people. 

This news, coming not long after it was revealed that Patti LuPone likely took the role Meryl was rumored for in the Ari Aster film, leaves us Streepers with only Places, Please to look forward to. It was supposed to begin filming this summer, but we've heard nothing about it since it's original announcement several months ago. For wall we know, they could already be filming. Hopefully we'll get some casting news on that soon. 

Streep rumored to be joining Joaquin Phoenix in new Ari Aster film

News broke earlier today that Meryl has signed on to star in an upcoming Ari Aster film, entitled Disappointment Blvd. Described as a surrealist horror film, the picture is set to begin filming in late June in Montreal. Joaquin Phoenix is attached as well. Aster is well-known for his first two feature films, Hereditary and Midsommar. 

OK, first off, let me just say that y'all know I love new project news. Both Aster and Phoenix are extremely talented, and it'll be fun to see the final product if this comes to fruition with Meryl's involvement. But a few questions immediately pop into my mind in regard to scheduling and the tone this film is going to take. Considering the film is supposed to begin filming on June 28, I wonder what that means for Meryl's chances of starring in Damien Chazelle's Babylon. The later is rumored to start filming already this spring. However, if Meryl's role in the Aster film is a supporting one (which it sounds like it is), maybe she'd be able to do both. It wouldn't be the first time she's filmed projects in short succession, especially for parts that wouldn't require her to be on set every day. From what I've read in the Babylon script, the role of Elinor Glyn could reasonably be shot in a couple of weeks. 

Then of course there is the lead role Meryl has coming up in Places, Please. That's supposed to be filming in "summer" as well, but that could be a late August start for all we know. Personally, I would of course love if Streep somehow found a way to participate in all three. 

Perhaps the most perplexing piece of all this is what the Aster film is going to be about. The article I cite lists it as a surrealist horror film. But when I view Joaquin Phoenix's upcoming filmography on IMDb, it lists two separate Ari Aster projects: Beau is Afraid and Disappointment Blvd. The link I provided basically states that the two films are the same, with the name Beau is Afraid being ditched for Disappointment Blvd. When one reads the descriptions of each film, however, the taglines are very different. Beau is Afraid is listed as a "four-hour 'nightmare comedy,'" while Disappointment Blvd. reads as "a decades-spanning portrait of one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time." While I'd love to see Meryl in her first horror flick, my hunch is that she's more likely to be participating in the decades-spanning story, which I've also seen described as a melodrama. 

Either way, it's great when Meryl is attached to high-profile features with lauded directors. The next couple of months are going to be fun. 

Streep tapped for "Places, Please"

Deadline is reporting that Meryl will team up with director Michael Cristofer for the feature film, Places, Please, which is being described as a love letter to Broadway. A character description from Deadline reads:

Streep will play Lillian Hall, an actress who is synonymous with Broadway. Throughout her long, illustrious career, she has never missed a performance—not for her daughter, not for illness, not for any reason. Yet in the rehearsals leading to her next Broadway production, her confidence is challenged. People and events conspire to take away her ability to do what she loves most. Suddenly, Hall is forced to reckon with the past and the price she has paid for the choices she made in her life and her art. Can she repair a lifetime of parental neglect? Can she reconcile herself to the demands of aging, its real and perceptual debilities? Can she navigate the shoals of self-doubt and loss, the betrayals of others and of her own body? Will she go down in the record books in a blaze of glory? Not without a fight.

The role actually seems like a really interesting, strong character. I rolled my eyes momentarily when I read that it was another Broadway star (following Meryl's recent turn as DeeDee Allen in The Prom), but this doesn't seem anything like that. There's some threads of Ricki and the Flash in the story as well, but Places, Please is described as a drama. 

Cristofer won the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for his 1977 play, Shadow Box. His directing credentials don't exactly spark major confidence in me. But it can depend heavily on the material and performers of course. I'll be very interested to find out who gets cast as Meryl's daughter. 

Interesting that Streep is listed as one of the producers of the film, which is rare for her. It's set to shoot in New York this summer, which means a likely 2022 release.