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The Devil Wears Prada Film Revenue Data
Comparison of the original film's worldwide gross against estimated sequel projections.
Primary Sources
Meryl Streep Turned Down "the Devil Wears Prada" Until Her Salary Was ...
By Callie Ahlgrim You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email. Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada." 20th Century Fox 2026-05-01T17:32:38.604Z Meryl Streep revealed that she originally turned down her iconic role in "The Devil Wears Prada." Streep said she knew the film would be a hit, but felt she could leverage her demand for more money. "I wanted to see if I doubled my ask — and they went right away and said, 'Sure,'" Streep said. Much like her iconic character Miranda Priestly, Meryl Streep knows her worth. During an interview on "Today" with her costars Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci, Streep revealed that she originally rejected the offer to star in 2006's "The Devil Wears Prada" — but not because she didn't want the role."I knew it was going to be a hit," Streep told host Jenna Bush Hager. "The script was great. They called me up, and they made an offer, and I said, 'No. I'm not going to do it.' I wanted to see if I doubled my ask — and they went right away and said, 'Sure.'""I thought, 'I'm 56. It took me this long to understand that I could do that,'" Streep continued. "They needed me, I felt.""The Devil Wears Prada" — anchored by Streep's icy portrayal of Miranda, the editor in chief of Runway, a fictional fashion magazine — went on to gross $326 million worldwide. Critics lauded Streep's performance as the film's main attraction, lending nuance and gravitas to an otherwise unlikable antagonist. "When Streep is absent from the screen," Peter Bradshaw wrote for The Guardian, "the interest factor plummets." In her review for the Washington Post, Jennifer Frey wrote that Streep "totally commands every scene." Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada 2." Macall Polay/20th Century Studios Two decades later, Streep has stepped back into Miranda's stilettos for "The Devil Wears Prada 2," joined by costars Hathaway, Blunt, and Tucci reprising their roles.The long-awaited sequel is eyeing an $80 million debut weekend at the domestic box office and $180 million globally, Variety reported.Streep, now 76, is once again earning high praise for her performance. And to think that 20 years ago, Streep said she was prepared to walk away."I wanted it, but if they didn't want to do that, I was OK," Streep told Hager of her salary negotiation. "I was ready to retire. But, you know, that was a lesson." Movie Celebrities Read next
Meryl Streep Turned Down The Devil Wears Prada Until She Was Paid Double
Published Apr 30, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT Sam Fang primarily covers news for CBR, with over a decade of experience writing about entertainment and pop culture and degrees in both journalism and art. Meryl Streep knows what she's worth — especially when it comes to the iconic role of Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada. The actress recently spoke about how the role helped her realize her worth just as she was close to retiring. Appearing on Today, Streep shared that she knew the original film would be a success even before she signed on to do it. "I knew it was going to be a hit," she said, speaking to Jenna Bush Hager. "I read the script. Script was great. And they called me up, and they made an offer, and I said, 'No, not going to do it." The reason why? Streep knew she was worth more than she was being offered. "I wanted to see if I could double my ask, and they went right away and said sure," she continued. "I thought [...] 'It took me this long to understand that I could do that!" Streep Was Ready to Retire Before The Devil Wears Prada For Streep, her request to double the salary for the role of Miranda Priestly was a lesson in learning her worth as well as personally realizing what it would take to keep her in front of the camera. "They needed me, I felt," she said. "I was ready to retire, but you know, that was a lesson." Streep's portrayal of Priestly quickly became one for the history books, and she brought the character to life in a way that left fans in awe. The rest of the cast included Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, Emily Blunt as Emily Charlton and Stanley Tucci as Nigel Kipling — all of whom are returning for the upcoming sequel. The decision to double Streep's pay was likely a no-brainer for the studio, and it certainly paid off. The Devil Wears Prada went on to gross over $326 million worldwide against its modest $35–41 million budget, and Streep won the Golden Globe for her performance in the film. Now, 20 years later, a sequel is poised to hit theaters on May 1 that sees much of the old cast returning along with some new faces. The film's plot revolves around Andy's return to the magazine Runway, while Ms. Priestly navigates the new media landscape, with print quickly becoming a thing of the past. They reconnect with former assistant Emily, who is now the head of a luxury brand, and try to revitalize the Runway brand. The Devil Wears Prada Sequel Lines Up Fashion Icons as Guest Stars Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures /Courtesy Everett...
Meryl Streep reveals she initially turned down The Devil Wears Prada
Meryl Streep has revealed that she nearly turned down The Devil Wears Prada and said she "doubled" her salary ask before agreeing to do one of the most defining roles of her career a decade ago.
Meryl Streep doubled her salary for The Devil Wears Prada after ...
Meryl Streep has revealed that she once turned down the initial offer for The Devil Wears Prada, only to return with a bold demand that ultimately reshaped her pay cheque. Speaking during recent promotions for the sequel, the actor shared that she asked for double the salary she had originally been offered, and the studio agreed without hesitation.
