Twenty years after the click of a stiletto changed the face of fashion cinema, Miranda Priestly has returned to reclaim her throne. In this highly anticipated The Devil Wears Prada 2 review, we examine whether the sequel manages to capture the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of the 2006 original or if it’s merely "last season." Directed by David Frankel and written by Aline Brosh McKenna, the film manages to be both a nostalgic victory lap and a biting critique of the modern publishing landscape.
What is The Devil Wears Prada 2 about?
The Devil Wears Prada 2 follows Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) as she returns to Runway magazine 20 years later to help Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) navigate a changing media landscape, a fast-fashion scandal, and the threat of AI, while reuniting with Emily (Emily Blunt) and Nigel (Stanley Tucci).
The Sequel Plot: Andy Sachs Returns to the World of Runway
The story picks up with Andy Sachs in a position many modern journalists will find painfully relatable. Despite her success, she is abruptly made redundant from her role at the New York Vanguard via a cold, impersonal text message. This sets the stage for her unlikely return to Runway magazine. The catalyst is a massive fast fashion scandal: Runway accidentally endorsed a brand revealed to be a "sweatshop" operation, sending advertisers fleeing and leaving the magazine’s reputation in tatters.
Irv Ravitz (Tibor Feldman) recruits Andy as a features editor to inject "real journalism" and gravitas back into the publication. While the The Devil Wears Prada sequel plot asks the audience to suspend some disbelief—given Andy’s dramatic exit in Paris two decades ago—the narrative quickly justifies her return. Andy is no longer the wide-eyed assistant; she is a seasoned professional who views Miranda not as a terrifying deity, but as a complex, albeit difficult, peer.
Miranda Priestly 2.0: Has the Devil Softened?
The most discussed element of the film is undoubtedly the Miranda Priestly return. Meryl Streep delivers a performance that is, as expected, "lights out," but the character has undergone a fascinating, if polarizing, evolution. In a world of HR-mandated sensitivity and 24/7 social media surveillance, the "Devil" has been somewhat defanged. We see Miranda forced to hang up her own coat and, in one of the film’s most jarringly human moments, flying coach in a middle seat.
While some fans may miss the unrelenting villainy of the first film, this sequel explores the vulnerability of an icon facing obsolescence. Miranda is now fighting a war on two fronts: a publishing landscape that favors "doomscrolling" over deep-dive editorials, and a tech-bro investor, Jay (played with smarmy perfection by BJ Novak), who wants to replace human editors with AI in media. Miranda’s impassioned defense of "human achievement" against AI serves as the film’s emotional and intellectual climax.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 Cast: Familiar Faces and New Rivals
The chemistry between the original The Devil Wears Prada 2 cast remains the film's greatest asset. Emily Blunt returns as Emily Charlton, who has transitioned from a harried assistant to a high-powered executive at Dior. Blunt continues to steal every scene she’s in, offering biting wit that masks a deep-seated career anxiety. Stanley Tucci reprises his role as Nigel, serving once again as the film's beating heart and Andy's moral compass.
- Anne Hathaway: Radiant and confident, Andy is no longer a "naïf" but a woman who knows her worth.
- Justin Theroux: Plays a tech billionaire who represents the commercialization of the industry.
- Kenneth Branagh: Appears as Miranda’s supportive, violin-playing husband, offering a rare glimpse into her domestic life.
- Patrick Brammall: Plays Andy’s new love interest, Peter, a property developer who provides a stark contrast to her work-obsessed life.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 vs Revenge Wears Prada Book
One of the most significant departures in this film is how it ignores the 2013 sequel novel by Lauren Weisberger, Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns. In the book, Andy and Emily are running a high-end bridal magazine called The Plunge. The film wisely chooses a different path, focusing instead on the existential crisis of Runway magazine as a subsidiary of a larger, struggling media conglomerate.
By centering the story on the fashion industry satire of today—addressing "tech-bro" culture and the death of print—the movie feels significantly more relevant than the source material. It moves away from the "wedding-centric" plot of the book to tackle the workplace power dynamics of the 2020s.
Fashion and Production: A Visual Feast in Milan and New York
Costume designer Molly Rogers had big shoes to fill, and she succeeded by leaning into "marketable luxury." The film features a stunning Miranda Priestly outfits breakdown, ranging from structured vintage pieces to avant-garde Richard Quinn florals. The The Devil Wears Prada 2 filming locations—spanning the luxury of Milan to the grit of a New York brownstone—provide an immersive, aspirational backdrop.
Keep an eye out for the reimagined cerulean sweater, a clever nod to the first film's most famous monologue. The film also features a high-energy performance by Lady Gaga during a runway show, adding to the "glossy" production value that fans expect. The The Devil Wears Prada 2 soundtrack list is equally impressive, blending contemporary hits with a sophisticated score that mirrors the frantic energy of the fashion industry.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 Review: Final Verdict
Clocking in at an exact runtime of 119 minutes, the film moves at a brisk, "stiletto-paced" clip. While it may lack the pure, unadulterated "mean-girl" energy of the 2006 original, it replaces it with a thoughtful meditation on what it means to be a "visionary" in an age of "vendors." Early Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic scores suggest a warm reception, with an aggregate score hovering around 82%.
Key Takeaways
- Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway maintain incredible screen chemistry 20 years later.
- The film addresses the AI in media threat and the decline of traditional journalism.
- It is a standalone story, largely ignoring the Revenge Wears Prada novel.
- Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci remain the "secret weapons" of the franchise.
- The movie is a visual masterpiece with costumes featuring brands like Gucci, Dior, and Richard Quinn.
Where to Watch: The Devil Wears Prada 2 Streaming Date
For those asking, "Where can I watch The Devil Wears Prada 2?", the film is currently enjoying an exclusive theatrical window starting May 1. While an official The Devil Wears Prada 2 streaming date has not been finalized, industry insiders suggest it will likely land on Disney+ or Max by late summer, given the production's ties to major studios. Box office projections suggest the sequel could outperform the original’s $326 million global haul, fueled by two decades of built-up nostalgia.
Ultimately, this sequel proves that while the media world has changed, the "Devil" is still very much in the details. That's all.
