The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026) Review

https://youtu.be/e9HXmMnUEdE?is=2cW3zugHaDuf9XSa

THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

When I look back at the culture shock of Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada, it was always meant to be one that is respect to the consuming world of fashion and more than a chick flick. After all the time that has passed, I still didn’t think a legacy sequel would happen until it does.


PLOT


The 2026 sequel takes place 20 years after the events of the first film. Andrea Sachs is a respected reporter in New York, but her newsroom team of The Vanguard has been suddenly been laid off mid awards gala. Things would take another drastic change when Runway’s editor in chief Miranda Priestly is under fire for publishing a puff piece on a brand using sweatshop labor. Andy is brought in by Irv Ravitz (Tibor Feldman), Miranda’s boss and owner of Runway’s parent company Elias-Clarke. Although Miranda did not originally approve of Andy’s return, Irv picked her to help Runway regain credibility as editor. As Sachs sees firsthand, Priestly hasn’t changed much after marrying her new husband Stuart Simons (Kenneth Branagh), because she struggles to navigate modern media and remains tyrannical to the point where HR has to blunt her behavior. She also learns from her longtime right hand, art director Nigel Kipling that not much people actually read magazines as it results in producing clickbait content to maintain advertisers. With her former coworker Emily Charlton working for key advertiser Dior as senior executive/brand leader, who is also divorced with kids, Priestly tasks Sachs to give her a puff piece interview. It would be awkward of course between both ladies because they bicker in how price raising does shut out middle class consumers. Later on, she is also able to score an interview for Priestly with recently divorced billionaire Sasha Barnes (Lucy Liu). Things sadly take another turn for the worst when Irv dies of a heart attack during his 75th birthday party. Since he wasn’t able to officially announce passing the responsibility of Elias-Clarke’s global head of content to Priestly, it is instead passed to his son Jay (BJ Novak) who does not have the same sentimental attachment to overall fashion compared to the other two. Much to everyone’s surprise, Miranda reacts calmly to the possibility of cutting costs. With this being a possibility, Andy takes out her worries towards her boyfriend Peter (Patrick Brammall), insulting his job as apartment renovator and leaves her conflicted when a publisher offers her a contract to do a tell-all book of her experiences working with Miranda. She doesn’t decide yet because during Milan Fashion Week, Nigel orchestrates a Runway gala starring Lady Gaga. Around this time does Andy become inspired to have someone else by the brand from Jay and reaches out to Emily to convince her boyfriend Benji, tech billionaire and Sasha’s ex, to do be the buyer. Just when explaining the plan Miranda however, the latter quickly realizes Emily is doing this to secure her position at Runway, as revenge for past pushing her out due to lacking creative vision. Miranda does try to take the loss with grace until becoming worried of Benji’s intent to use AI for the foreseeable future. She goes to Sachs to get another buyer and surprisingly, she’s able to get Sasha to buy all of Elias-Clarke including Runway, which Jay happily accepts over Benji. When both ladies meet Sasha to secure the deal, Miranda does right by Nigel for the first time  by letting him deliver a keynote speech for the gala and give him the position Irv promised her. When returning to NY, Miranda tells Andy she did inspire her to fight back with her idealism and encourages her to go through with the tell-all, having already known she was offered. Andy takes the advice after making up with Peter and even Emily having just broken up with Benji. Nigel even later reveals to her he was the one who told Irv to hire her back. The film would end with Andy being given a bigger office by Miranda as the latter returns to work with a newfound imperious attitude.


THOUGHTS


When it came to the first one, I was afraid not being a fashionista would have me struggle to enjoy this narrative only for be to compelled from start to finish. Thankfully, the same crew that returns here maintains past feeling into something extra special. The fashion industry evolves on a daily basis like every other branch of entertainment out there, which makes it logical why there would be a sequel in the first place. With David Frankel directing another strong script by Aline Brosh McKenna, Florian Ballhaus’ cinematography blending well with Andrew Marcus’ editing and Theodore Shapiro back to compose another elegant score, it felt like I never left this world at all. For me, the nostalgia bug really kicked in when hearing again ‘Vogue’ by Madonna. It was the best anthem to describe how epic the fashion world is and it remains so after so long. For those who’ve paid attention, it felt like a certainty Andy returning to the fashion world and reuniting with the likes of Priestly & Nigel was not exactly going to be an open arms kind of reunion. The way everyone bonds to be where they want to be was the best way was to teach viewers how clear communication of shared standards is way better than fear when it comes to maintaining any kind of power you earn, and the most vital way to approach reinvention will be intuition over automation, otherwise the wrong course of evolution will follow. With core characters returning and mingling with the new, the lesson couldn’t be any more clear. Anne Hathaway is still easy to adore most as Andy because she stays true to her roots better than her Runway peers. While still in touch with Lily, her pragmatism is what remains her great strength, which I believe saved Runway exponentially. If she had lacked any bit of it, then the brand definitely would’ve gone through deep trenches. What truly helped her maintain that course was reconnecting with those who taught her to take things head on which she was able to do here. Stanley Tucci is a real one as Nigel because his only goal was to get help from an old friend and return the favor reminding her who she is so that they can succeed together. In return, he is rewarded in overdue fashion for his fashion which is what we all wanted for him. Obviously, that would’ve not happened either had it not been for a mentor who made enough of a change to show respect to the most deserved. Meryl Streep still owns the room in being that bitch we all love Miranda Priestly for after all these years. She’s still a tough boss if she is at odds with Lady Gaga of all people and does seem to be most comfortable when with Stuart which she deserves after how much she’s worked, but this is also her most vulnerable compared to before because she adapts to enough changes to accept she can’t control everything. Trust always goes a long way wherever you go and that’s the case when working with/for her Priestly, so it’s a relief she still trusted Andy to make big moves to save a brand they care about. She ain’t even that mad when it came to her last minute intentions with Charlton because she couldn’t have known their fallout that occurred after she quit. The fact she went along with the reverse uno decision to sell to Sasha instead of Benji was the last piece of proof to say how deep trust went between the two. She encourages her to go through with the tell-all because of all people that have worked with/for her, she is the one who understands best the gift & cost of her work ethic and a vision she cares about. As much as we like Emily Blunt for still portraying Charlton as one trying to be frantically sharp like those she surrounds herself with, her decision to cling onto the past is what proves her point that her vision ain’t at her level no matter how hard she tried. Andy still bothers to keep in touch with her because she gets how it feels to be desperate for validation and knew you just can’t live life like that; the former was able to get said validation from Priestly because the moment they first met, she was herself and chose to not overthink with any expectations. I mean if she’s stooping to a slob like Benji the way Justin Theroux played him as one who had no passion compared to them, you know she needed another wake up call if she didn’t have one already. If Charlton ever learns to let go of expectations and focus on what good she has like her kids, she’ll be happier and I think Andy will keep reminding her of it as much a good friend can. This movie is fun for what it is, but there were still a few confusing moments that make me prefer the first. Like I’m kinda surprised that only does Andy become surprised Miranda would still ignore a casual brainstorm, but how is there no lawyer to discuss the amount of pages for her to write for Emily? At this point, you can be glad everyone finds common ground for a bit, but for an integral business decision like doing a piece for Dior is something to get a second opinion involved to avoid later getting ripped off. And I know Miranda likely doesn’t know Nigel helped her come back to Runway, but she clearly earned it if she got to have the dream job of journalism after 20 years. Having said that, it is on Andy for her to not know magazines are outdated as the 21st century progresses. Hell, it’s even a surprise there wasn’t a tabloid when Emily left Runway because if she was that heartbroken of being pushed out, I’d imagine her posting her tell-all before Sachs. Moving on, it’s a hysterical surprise Andy stained a dress Nigel let her borrow at the Hamptons party and he doesn’t freak out. I know she removes it, but I’m sure he’s the kind of guy who would recognize a removed scent without having superpowers. I lastly can admit it’s comedic to know Miranda’s got beef with Lady Gaga, but if not her, it’s odd she is the only affordable option to promote Milan Fashion Week. She’s not the only option of a musician at whatever price range they’ll pay her or even get a favor out of, so it’s a surprise that they never name drop Madonna or Rihanna. Ignore these things however, then you’re still set for a good time. In short, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a good example of a legacy sequel that knows how to play it both ways in terms of embracing the future and still respecting the past. If you still have a soft spot for the first film, I’m sure you’ll feel the same with this one.