In “Hoppers,” Streep takes on the role of the Insect Queen, a monarch butterfly whose royal antics bring laughs and a twist to the storyline. Her involvement was publicized before the film’s release, yet the specifics of her role proved to be one of the movie’s most delightful surprises. As the Queen who initially suggests “squishing” the film’s protagonist, Mayor Jerry (voiced by Jon Hamm), audiences might anticipate her as the central villain. However, the plot takes an unexpected turn when Mabel (Piper Curda) accidentally squashes the Queen, paving the way for Titus (Dave Franco), a vengeful caterpillar, to assume the throne. This choice to cast Streep, the most Oscar-nominated actress, in a role that meets a swift and comedic demise, amplifies the film’s humor.

Meanwhile, in “Project Hail Mary,” Streep’s voice cameo is woven into a montage where Dr. Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, experiments with different voices for his computer’s translation of an alien language. Grace humorously acknowledges Streep’s versatility, yet ultimately opts for a voice rendered by James Ortiz, who also puppeteers the alien character, Rocky.

Director Daniel Chong of “Hoppers” shared with The Playlist that the character of the Insect Queen was always imagined as a “Meryl Streep type.” When the opportunity to cast her arose, the team engaged in a Zoom call with Streep, who instantly connected with the film’s comedic spirit. “From the moment I pitched the story,” Chong explained, “she was laughing throughout and loved the tone. She grasped the humor and her character’s role perfectly.” Upon learning of her character’s abrupt exit, Streep reportedly quipped, “I am ready for all that.”

“Hoppers” director Daniel Chong told The Playlist that he envisioned the Insect Queen as a “Meryl Streep type” long before it came time to actually inquire about casting. The “Hoppers” team ended up on a Zoom call with Streep to explain the part, and she instantly vibed with the film’s humor. 

“The minute I started pitching the story,” Chong said, “she was just laughing the whole way through, and loved the tone. She understood the humor, and she understood what her role in the movie would be.” As for how she reacted to finding out about her character’s death, she reportedly responded, “I am ready for all that.”

“Project Hail Mary” directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were able to get Streep through their producer, Amy Pascal, who has worked with Streep several times before. Lord told Inquirer, “We were like, Amy, you’ve got to ask Meryl. It’s a magical moment in the movie. And Meryl said yes and couldn’t have been more playful and fun. She did so many different takes.” Streep and the other alternate Rocky voices spoke their lines into a microphone connected to an earpiece worn by Ryan Gosling, who never knew who was going to speak next.

Meryl Streep’s cameos in “Hoppers” and “Project Hail Mary” are her first performances in a wide release theatrical movie since she played Aunt March in Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of “Little Women.” Since then, she’s narrated documentaries, appeared in a handful of streaming releases — “Let Them All Talk” on HBO Max, “The Prom” and “Don’t Look Up” on Netflix — and been a regular guest on the Hulu series “Only Murders in the Building,” but it’s shocking to realize that these two joke cameos mark her official return to the big screen.

Streep’s live-action return to movie theaters comes in a couple of months. In a rare break from her policy of trying to avoid sequels, she returns to her Golden Globe-winning role as fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestley in “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” in theaters May 1. She’s also attached to play Joni Mitchell in a biopic directed by Cameron Crowe.