Before Devil Wears Prada 2, Anne Hathaway’s Box Office Dud Proves Star Power No Longer Sells Itself

Anne Hathaway is basically Hollywood royalty at this point—she has the hardware, the household name status, and a résumé longer than most studio execs' careers. So, when her new film 'Mother Mary' landed this month, you’d think it would be at least a modest box office win by default. Well, not quite. Even with Hathaway headlining alongside Michaela Coel and A24 doing its usual hip, aggressive marketing push, the movie has raked in a surprisingly underwhelming $2 million. Yeah, you read that right. And those numbers are already shrinking showtimes at theaters—in other words, the audience just isn’t showing up.

A-Star Casting, D-Box Office

Normally, when a major star like Anne Hathaway fronts a movie, there’s at least a baked-in audience. That’s just how Hollywood used to work (emphasis on “used to”). But these days, having a big name slapped on the poster isn’t a free ticket to box office gold. 'Mother Mary' was supposed to kick off a massive 2026 for Hathaway—she’s set for buzzy projects like 'The Odyssey,' 'The End of Oak Street,' 'Verity,' and, yes, the mega-hyped 'The Devil Wears Prada 2.' So for her A24 opener to more or less flatline at the box office... that’s a sign that star power just isn’t what it used to be.

So, What Changed?

• Moviegoing habits have totally shifted—a lot of people just aren’t showing up at theaters like they used to.
• Social media stars and influencer hype have started eclipsing the old guard of red carpet regulars.
• Studios (especially indie ones like A24 and Neon) aren’t banking on big names anymore—they’re throwing money at viral marketing instead, hoping something will get traction online.
• Even with big stars, if a movie is an original property with no built-in fan base, it now needs creative buzz to stand out—case in point, 'Marty Supreme' with Timothée Chalamet. That film had *both* star power and relentless, weirdly specific marketing, which actually worked.

Exceptions to the Rule

This doesn’t mean every movie needs a TikTok campaign to pack theaters. A sequel like 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' or an epic like 'The Odyssey'—those will still bring in crowds on reputation alone. And sure, there are a handful of mega-stars—think Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt—who are still box office draws just by showing up. But for a lot of new, original movies? A famous face just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Reality Check

In short: even Anne Hathaway isn’t immune to the new habits of moviegoers. Want people to show up for a mid-budget drama or some strange original story? You can’t just rely on name recognition anymore. As for Hathaway fans—don’t worry, she’ll bounce back in a big way when 'Devil Wears Prada 2' lands. For the rest of Hollywood, though, this is a wake-up call: in 2026, star power alone won’t save you.

'The days of posters selling a movie just because there's a huge star on them are over. Studios know it, and audiences definitely know it.'