“The Devil Wears Prada 2” debuted May 1, 2026, almost 20 years since the first movie was released. The original movie was a huge hit, grossing over $325 million worldwide and is extremely culturally significant, as it is still relevant 20 years later. With “The Devil Wears Prada” being one of my favorite movies, I had very high expectations, while recognizing that it’s hard to live up to the phenomenon that the first movie was, and is.
This movie follows an older Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), who is now an award-winning journalist. After 20 years of not being in the fashion industry, she returns to “Runway” as a features editor and writer, along the way reuniting with her former mentor, Nigel (Stanley Tucci), her former co-worker/frenemy, Emily (Emily Blunt), and, of course, the iconic “Runway” magazine editor, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep).
Overall, I really liked this movie, although I don’t feel like it has the same vibe as the first one. An important part of this movie, which focuses in part on saving the dying magazine industry, that they did well was the portrayal of how much the magazine industry has changed throughout the years. As people have started to rely on AI a lot more, the overarching message that fashion and writing is best done by humans is a really good reminder, although at times I did feel like the movie was a little all over the place.
This movie had all of the main cast from the original, and it was so special to get to see all of them on the screen together once more. There were also so many references to the first movie, which was fun to see.
One of the best parts of the movie was seeing Andy reunite with her former coworkers, particularly with Nigel. Much like in the first movie, in which Nigel provides Andy with the game-changing makeover that transforms her from a lumpy-sweater and hideous-skirt-wearing outcast to a Paris-trotting, Chanel-boot-clad fashionista, Nigel’s strong and steady presence grounds and propels Andy in this movie, too. In turn, Andy repays the favor, pushing Miranda to finally see that Nigel wanted to start branching out in the magazine. It was sweet to see Nigel finally get to do the job he wanted to do and to see that their dear and lovely bond had continued.
I also loved seeing the evolution of Emily and Andy’s relationship in this movie, which finds both women in very different spaces 20 years later. Despite setbacks, conflict, and mistrials, both Emily and Andy seem to share an underlying respect for each other that is obvious throughout the film. It was also nice to see the characters turning into the people they dreamed of being 20 years ago.
Emily is now a mom and a senior executive at the luxury fashion house, Dior, and Andy is an award-winning journalist with a wide and impressive network of support. Although those roles change during the movie, they showcase the futures that many of us would have envisioned and hopes for these two driven and unique women.
An odd subplot that was included in the movie without adequate context was a new love interest for Andy. I felt this inclusion was really random – it starts at the beginning of the movie and by the end of the movie, when it was reintroduced, I had forgotten about it. Knowing how strong of a character Andy is, I was confused as to why they felt any need to introduce a love interest without properly developing the characters. As it was, it seemed totally pointless. That said, there was no mention of her original boyfriend, Nate, from the first movie, and I think we can all agree we’re better off that way.
Obviously, the one character that everyone was eager to catch up with was Miranda Priestley – the “Florals for spring? Groundbreaking” icon who always tells it like it is. Despite drastic changes to the magazine, the world of journalism and also to her personal life, Miranda’s personality was primarily the same in this movie, and I’m glad for that.
The ending of this movie was also executed really well. It tied up all the loose ends and left on an uplifting note that shows that, while people may never really change, they can always dress better. Also, as in the first movie, the filming locations were incredible, including Milan and Lake Como, Italy. As in the first movie, New York City once again stars as a movie character, too, leaving everyone wanting to book a flight, grab an onion bagel, and stage their own photo shoot in Central Park.
Overall, even though it took them two decades to make this movie – yes, they moved at a glacial pace – I really enjoyed it. I think probably my favorite part was seeing all of the references to the first movie and watching all of the main characters become friends and create bonds in a way they didn’t before.
If you’re looking for a groundbreaking new take on “The Devil Wears Prada,” you won’t exactly find that here. But if you’re looking for a fun, nostalgic romp that stays true to a beloved classic, you’ll definitely love this movie.
In the words of Miranda, “That’s all.”
