Disney Bets on The Devil Wears Prada 2 as Marvel Summer Era Fades

From Marvel Summers to a Fashionable Comeback

Disney’s 2025 summer movie season opens with a high-stakes battle—one that doesn’t involve superheroes. Instead, the studio is banking on The Devil Wears Prada 2, a sequel to the 2006 fashion industry satire, to kick off the summer blockbuster calendar. The move marks a stark departure from nearly two decades of Marvel-dominated releases that defined the season.

Marvel’s Summer Reign: A Timeline of Blockbusters

The tradition of Marvel opening the summer season began in 2008 with Iron Man (May 8, 2008), followed by The Avengers (May 4, 2012), Avengers: Infinity War (May 24, 2018), and Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019). Even in recent years, Marvel maintained its grip on the season with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 5, 2023) and Thunderbolts* (May 2, 2025).

This year, Marvel’s lineup includes Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday, but the absence of a Marvel film to launch the summer is notable. Instead, Disney has placed The Devil Wears Prada 2 at the forefront—a decision that may reflect shifting audience tastes and industry trends.

Is Superhero Fatigue Real?

The term “superhero fatigue” has gained traction in recent years, particularly since the release of Avengers: Endgame six years ago. Critics and audiences alike have pointed to the exhaustion stemming from:

• Ever-expanding comic book mythologies
• A glut of in-continuity television shows
• The stalling of the DCEU and the launch of the James Gunn DCU

For supporters of the term, the third wave of superhero movies—launched by The Dark Knight and Iron Man—was groundbreaking but reached its peak with Endgame. Today, audiences are increasingly drawn to video game films and legacy sequels, signaling a potential decline in superhero dominance.

Do Superhero Movies Still Sell?

Despite the debate, superhero films remain box office powerhouses. In 2023, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ranked among the top ten grossing films. In 2024, Deadpool & Wolverine continued the trend, while Superman (2025) also performed strongly. Even films like The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Black Adam achieved financial success, though they fell short of blockbuster status.

The Devil Wears Prada 2: A Strategic Pivot

The placement of The Devil Wears Prada 2 suggests that Disney is hedging its bets. While neither Disney nor Warner Bros. plans to abandon superheroes—both studios have high-profile MCU and DCU projects in development—they are prioritizing quality over quantity. Executives like Kevin Feige and James Gunn have emphasized the need to slow down production to avoid diluting the appeal of their franchises.

Though The Devil Wears Prada 2 isn’t a legacy sequel in the traditional sense—it doesn’t introduce a new awkward fashion journalist following in Andy Sachs’ (Anne Hathaway) footsteps—it builds on the genre’s strengths. The original film’s blend of sharp satire, star power, and cultural relevance made it a defining movie of the mid-2000s. The sequel, led by Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt, aims to recapture that magic while appealing to a new generation of audiences.

“The placement of The Devil Wears Prada 2 may prove that both sides of the superhero fatigue debate are correct. Neither Disney nor Warner Bros. plan to abandon superheroes, but both are stepping back from the rapid development that marked the height of the third wave.”

What’s Next for Blockbuster Seasons?

As the summer of 2025 unfolds, the film industry will be watching closely to see if The Devil Wears Prada 2 can deliver the box office performance that Marvel once reliably provided. If it succeeds, it could signal a broader shift in Hollywood’s approach to blockbuster seasons—one that prioritizes nostalgia, legacy sequels, and non-superhero franchises over the relentless pace of superhero releases.