The year 2026 could belong to Anne Hathaway, with her name on the marquee for five films slated for release.
Hathaway, an audience favorite since her Princess Diary breakthrough, appears in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic The Odyssey (due July 17) and the erotic thriller Verity (due Oct. 2) where she’ll eventually be landing on Dakota Johnson’s lips. The sci-fi thriller The End of Oak Street is also slated for Aug. 14.
But Hathaway began her landmark year in April with the release of A24’s psychological drama Mother Mary, following that with the sequel to the 2006 crowd-pleaser The Devil Wears Prada.
Not only are there queer performers in Mother’s cast, including aromantic Michaela Coel and trans actress Hunter Schafer, but the sapphic storyline centers on the relationship between the two main characters, pop singer Mother Mary (Hathaway) and clothing designer Sam Anselm (Coel).
The plot surrounds Mother Mary needing a new garment constructed for her comeback, and forcing her to track down her former lover in the English countryside. The reunion summons up ghosts from the past and then transforms into an emotional tale haunted by the dead.
The Devil Wears Prada 2, from 20th Century Studios, more than doubled the production budget of the original film, with $100 million and stomped Mother Mary’s $20 million cost with its luxury designer shoe.
Much like Mary, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is cursed with details that sidetrack the main plot, but wins one race against Mary by being more entertaining for the masses. Prada banks on nostalgia while Mary focuses on artistic expression.
The Devil Wears Prada debuted in 2006 and introduced Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly to a whole new generation of filmgoers. Hathaway was already riding high at that point, thanks to The Princess Diaries and Brokeback Mountain.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 gives Hathaway an opportunity to rekindle the role of the plucky Andy Sachs and reunite with cast members from the first film. These days, Andy is working as a journalist, but after being suddenly fired from her publication, she finds a new job revamping Runway Magazine. This leads to adventures in media where the landscape has changed in the last 20 years and fresh challenges working with the devilish Miranda await.
Andy is unsurprisingly shoehorned into various awkward setups over the course of Prada 2’s two-hour runtime, but several characters could have been omitted. Nevertheless, the film features numerous cameos, among them many A-listers. Prada 2 caters to its target market of women and the LGBTQ+ community with catty dialogue and a new gay assistant, Charlie, played by Caleb Hearon.
Stanley Tucci’s Nigel, meanwhile, is an archetype of gay fashion journalist André Leon Talley. Nigel matches Meryl Streep’s Miranda, modeled after Anna Wintour, in determination and sass.
Mother Mary and Devil 2 both take divine inspiration from artists in multiple mediums. Mother Mary has new songs constructed by Charli XCX and is possibly inspired by Madonna. Anne creates her own vocals for Mother Mary: Greatest Hits with less mainstream flair thanks to the stylings of Charli XCX and FKA Twigs.
Lady Gaga could also be a point of inspiration for Mary, but she’s heavily featured in Hathaway’s fashion follow-up flick. Gaga contributes three songs on the Prada 2 soundtrack: “Shape of a Woman,” “Runway,” (with lesbian rapper Doechii) and “Glamorous Life.” On a separate track, two other queer musicians, Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard, have teamed up for the Sylvester-sounding “Walk of Fame.”
Hathaway’s steady output and has made her a much sought-after talent. She is one of the highest-paid actresses today and has taken home multiple awards over the years, including an Oscar, an Emmy and a Golden Globe.
In 2012, Hathaway sold her wedding photo and donated the funds to the same sex marriage organization Freedom to Marry, which deserves a trophy all on its own.
Stay tuned for upcoming releases from the acclaimed actress in the following years, like The Princess Diaries 3 and Amazon MGM Studios’ Yesteryear. The future’s so bright, Andy and Miranda have to wear shades.
Pray for tickets as The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Mother Mary are both currently playing at theaters everywhere.