Film Review – The Devil Wears Prada 2

May 4th, 2026 | POSTED BY Allen Almachar

I should confess right off the bat that I was never the biggest fan of The Devil Wears Prada (2006). While it has its charms and the performances all around were fun, I never bought into its story. It wants to play both sides of the coin, operating as a satirical look at the fashion industry yet simultaneously celebrating it. The balancing act never sat right with me. I admit, I’m probably in the minority on this one. As the years have passed, we’ve seen a passionate fanbase grow for the film. While I can appreciate such an enthusiastic following, I can’t say that I am in that demographic. Sometimes, a movie doesn’t align with our individual sensibilities, and that’s perfectly fine. 

Needless to say: the legacy sequel, The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026) doesn’t do much to sway my opinion. If you are a fan of the original, then chances are you will like a lot of what this has to offer. There are plenty of callbacks, references, and Easter Eggs to satisfy dedicated viewers. Those who were not that keen with the original won’t have their minds changed this time around either. Director David Frankel and writer Aline Brosh McKenna have returned, plunging us right back into all the designer clothing, fancy locales, and the glitz and glamour that comes with high fashion. This time, however, the returns are diminishing. This does a lot of what the original already did, but less effectively. 

We reunite with our characters amid a time of crisis. Journalist Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) has recently been let go from her job while attending an awards gala (via text, no less). Seemingly out of the blue, Andy gets offered a features editor position at Runway – where she had once worked as second assistant to her old boss, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). Miranda has run into some shaky ground herself. An article in Runway has come under fire for highlighting a brand with questionable business practices, which has tarnished Miranda’s reputation. Meanwhile, the ever-changing landscape of journalism, media, and content creation has withered the magazine’s cultural footprint to online click-bait articles and TikTok style video clips. To make matters worse, changes in ownership could potentially trigger cost cutting and downsizing measures. Andy seems to have returned into Miranda’s stratosphere just in time to watch it slip through her fingers.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 might look like another foray into flashing lights and chic clothing. But once we look a little deeper, we find a sobering – if not downright depressing – examination of print journalism. Runway – and to a larger degree, Miranda – have not adjusted to the changing times, and thus the magazine is at risk of going the way of many newspapers and magazines in the age of the internet. As a result, Miranda and her team (including Andy) must swallow their pride and look for money anywhere they can find, whether it be advertisers or billionaire investors. Their search brings them to Dior, who just so happens to employ another familiar face, Emily (Emily Blunt), Miranda’s previous first assistant. Much of the narrative involves these backroom dealings, where Andy, Miranda, Emily, and Miranda’s right hand man Nigel (Stanley Tucci) scheme and plot to get the upper hand. Does any of it make sense when all is said and done? Not really, but at least everybody looks fabulous!

As previously said, one of my biggest issues with the original was how it wanted to subvert the fashion industry, yet it also clearly loved it. That same imbalance is more prominent here. It’s strange that Andy – who is obviously talented, smart, and stands on her journalistic integrity – would be so inclined to help Miranda, who has been nothing short of tyrannical. Does Andy remember when Miranda would throw her bags and coats on her desk, make her do impossible tasks, and reprimand her for the slightest misstep? The most famous monologue of the first film – the “cerulean sweater” speech – was Miranda’s way of cutting Andy down to size. It’s one thing to keep a job you hate to land somewhere better, but Andy’s willingness to stick with Miranda is damn near masochistic. Hell, when Andy sees Miranda on her first day back, Miranda doesn’t even remember who she is!

To be fair, the best parts of the original was seeing how prickly and vicious Miranda could be to others. Meryl Streep had a way of using the slightest glance or the quickest phrase to completely devastate her targets, to hilarious effect. Seeing Miranda now, drained of nearly all her power and influence, is not as fun. Sure, Streep gets a few opportunities to showcase Miranda’s ice-cold verbal attacks, but this time it comes from a point of desperation. As much as the narrative wants us to care about her plight, it’s hard to relate to a person of Miranda’s stature. You’re meaning to tell me that Miranda must hang her own bags and coats now? How shocking! Miranda must fly coach instead of first class? The horror! She must lean on billionaires to bail her out and save her magazine? Gasp! Re-adjusting Miranda as an underdog seems a little out of touch, no? 

In terms of aesthetics, the film looks great. While I am far from being an expert when it comes to costuming, Molly Rogers’ outfits shine. This is a universe where secretaries are dressed as though they walked right out of a fashion shoot. Jess Gonchor’s production design dresses environments with their own unique traits – such as the revamped Runway offices. One of the better gags features Andy walking through the halls of the office – all of which are sleek and modern – only to arrive at her workstation that looks a half step up from a storage closet. The best visual sequences take place during fashion week in Milan, where Florian Ballhaus’ cinematography takes in the locales with postcard-like lushness. The most striking image has Miranda – fully dressed in a sparkling outfit – quietly walking down a plaza alone. The combination of Meryl Streep in the middle of a gorgeous location makes for a beautiful, memorable shot. Whatever gripes I may have with the themes or character development, I can’t deny all the exquisite textures and vibrant colors put on the screen.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is fan service for a particular type of fan. For those that walk into this and find as much enjoyment as they did with the original, I say: more power to you. Sadly, I was never able to connect to it in any meaningful way. As game as everyone appeared to be, the film never rises beyond reminding us how loved the first one was. It tries to capture the same spark that made the original successful but ends up feeling like reheated goods.

Aline Brosh McKenna, Anne Hathaway, David Frankel, Emily Blunt, Featured, Florian Ballhaus, Jess Gonchor, Meryl Streep, Molly Rogers, Stanley Tucci, The Devil Wears Prada, The Devil Wears Prada 2