The Devil Wears Prada 2, 2026.
Directed by David Frankel.
Starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Kenneth Branagh, Simone Ashley, Justin Theroux, Lucy Liu, Tracie Thoms, Tibor Feldman, B.J. Novak, Patrick Brammall, Caleb Hearon, Helen J. Shen, Rachel Bloom, Pauline Chalamet, Conrad Ricamora, Lady Gaga, Kennedy Walsh, Ciara, Marc Jacobs, Calum Harper, Ashley Graham.
SYNOPSIS:
As Miranda Priestly nears retirement, she reunites with Andy Sachs to face off against her former assistant turned rival: Emily Charlton.
Regardless of what one thought about The Devil Wears Prada 2 before coming into it, this deserves credit for doing something most legacy sequels struggle with: a modern, timely way in that instantly grabs attention and justifies catching up with these characters, which is in itself thoughtfully handled. 20 years removed from the first film (which was also directed by David Frankel and returning screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, based on the novel by Lauren Weisberger), former Runway Magazine writer Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is a respected journalist covering important issues and accepting her latest award, only to learn that the publication is being dismantled, laying off the entire team. It’s an unfortunate event that upends her life and brings her back into the fashion world, where she is set to be Features Editor and once again work under Meryl Streep’s no-filter, bossy Miranda Priestly, who, amusingly, doesn’t even initially remember her.
The hurdle here is that the media landscape has shifted, with the magazine garnering little readership; no one at Runway knows what anyone wants to read about. Instead, the informative mill has been replaced by the usual crazes (bite-sized TikTok Videos, streaming addictions, and more), with the magazine itself having been transformed into a digital subscription. With an office full of new co-workers (Caleb Hearon as a standout in a small role as the new second assistant to Miranda), it is up to Andy to thread that needle between writing about something substantial for personal fulfillment and something fun to read that has drawing power. Technically, that’s after handling an honest-mistake PR disaster for Miranda, which is the other reason Andy is tempted to return to the fold while jobless.
Also present is Miranda’s longtime fashion director confidant, Nigel Kipling (Stanley Tucci), still carrying out the same duties but yearning for a greater role underneath. As for Emily Blunt’s Emily Charlton, Andy’s once-upon-a-time rival, she now has a major role in the retail industry, working for Dior. Other new characters include Kenneth Branagh as Miranda’s new husband, while apartment contractor Peter (Patrick Brammall) enters the picture as Andy’s potential new love interest. And while one understands the filmmakers wanting to flesh out her life beyond her work, that part unfortunately clogs the narrative a bit (there is realistically no reason this film should be longer than its predecessor).
Upon clearing up the aforementioned PR disaster and moving the business needle back in the right direction, Miranda also has reason to believe that the company’s CEO, Irv Ravitz (Tibor Feldman), will promote her to a global role. It is a much more company-wide responsibility she actively hopes for, at one point, outright stating she loves to work, a line that one can only wonder bears sentimental meaning for Meryl Streep herself and her unwavering love of acting. The worst possible scenario is that the company falls into the hands of Irv’s Fashion-illiterate son, Jay (B.J. Novak), who makes football analogies and clearly wouldn’t be suited for the position at all.
Amid that looming possibility, the film continues to explore the sad state of the media landscape, where respected outlets and journalists repeatedly fall into the clutches of the incompetent, with no respect, let alone passion, for what they are purchasing, inheriting, or taking over. Even the evils of AI are mentioned (as someone who also knows nothing about fashion, I can tell you that would be a terrible idea that would yield some truly monstrous designs, which are thankfully nothing like the actual dazzling costume design in this film). However, there isn’t a commitment to diving into the bleakness of the media industry. If anything, some punches are pulled, making room for an overly optimistic happy ending that will unquestionably leave some slightly frustrated.
Perhaps it’s a win that The Devil Wears Prada 2 addresses such harsh realities at all, even if it is softened. The rest of the film boasts what viewers will likely want to see, while remaining aware of the original’s formula, without driving home an overabundance of fan-service references. In actuality, what offsets some of that is that the film cares about its characters, how they have evolved, and dares to show unexpected vulnerable sides to them. There is a stretch in this film where even Miranda doesn’t have the energy to fight back with a cutting retort, chopping someone already beneath her, further down to size. That’s not to say no zingers and sardonic banter are here, but that these filmmakers aren’t afraid to place these characters in new situations and states of mind, given the uncertain landscape of media and the company.
When it’s time for fashion to take center stage (complete with a smorgasbord of industry cameos), The Devil Wears Prada 2 marvels, whether it be the runway show itself or a rousing performance from a modern-day pop star. Between that glamor is a mostly fun tale of ambition (sometimes vocal, sometimes repressed) that is as interested in journalism’s rough waters as it is in sincerely revealing new layers to these characters.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder
