Wendy Finerman, producer of "The Devil Wears Prada 2," said the current movie business is the most difficult she has ever seen.
Finerman's comments highlight the instability of the modern entertainment landscape. Despite the success of individual titles, the industry continues to struggle with market volatility and shifting audience habits that threaten traditional theatrical models.
Speaking on CNBC's "Fast Money" program, Finerman said the environment for producing and distributing films has become increasingly precarious, even as high-profile sequels continue to draw crowds.
The discussion comes as "The Devil Wears Prada 2" officially kicked off the summer movie season. The film performed strongly at the domestic box office, earning $77 million [1] during its opening weekend. This figure falls within the projected U.S. opening range of $75 million to $80 million [2].
While the financial results for the sequel are positive, Finerman said the broader state of the industry is concerning. The contrast between a successful opening and the general difficulty of the business suggests that high-budget hits may be becoming the only reliable path to profitability, a trend that puts independent and mid-budget films at risk.
Finerman did not specify a single cause for the difficulty but pointed toward the overarching volatility of the current market. Her assessment reflects a wider sentiment among industry veterans who are navigating the transition from traditional cinema to a fragmented digital streaming environment.
“"The current movie business is the most difficult I've ever seen."”
The juxtaposition of Finerman's warning with the film's $77 million [1] debut suggests that while 'event cinema' remains viable, the systemic risk for the rest of the industry is increasing. The ability of a major franchise sequel to meet high projections does not necessarily signal a recovery for the broader movie business, but rather a narrowing of what audiences are willing to see in theaters.
