Film Reviews

May 1, 2026

In terms of a sequel, "The Devil Wears Prada 2" exists on two levels that are somewhat at odds with each other. On the one hand, it continues—rather than simply rehashes—the story started by the original, and it presents a fairly credible and topical plot for its funny and likable legacy players to navigate. On the other hand, it derives a lot from its predecessor and introduces a host of mostly throwaway characters, who feed the movie some of its more contrived and cartoonish moments. Fortunately, it's the former that ultimately wins out, not least because everyone involved seems to have had such a good time making it, and their joy is infectious, even if the enterprise as a whole is mostly silly.

Given the popularity of the first "Devil" (2006)—first in theaters and then well beyond on the home market—it's kind of astonishing it took the studio 20 years to produce a follow-up. Nevertheless, director David Frankel, screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, and stars Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanely Tucci are all back, and it's a lively reunion. For the most part, Frankel and editor Andrew Marcus avoid getting too caught up in nostalgia and keep things moving with a sense of urgency, not unlike the characters' fast-paced worlds. Just like the original did, the sequel makes it easy for us to get caught up in these people's trepidations, tight schedules, and relentless urban lifestyles.

The plot is simple yet believable. It begins when the smart and humble Andy Sachs (Hathaway), still idealistic and mildly naïve, learns she and her fellow journalists have all been fired via text (during an awards banquet no less) due to corporate downsizing. She goes off on a rant, which of course gets captured on video and goes viral. Suddenly, just as she was two decades ago, she's an inquiring mind in desperate need of a job, and fast, because New York City isn't getting any cheaper.

Meantime, the haughty Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), Andy's ferocious former boss and editor-in-chief of the high-end fashion magazine Runway, is on precarious ground of her own after a story breaks about the magazine doing business with a label that exploits sweatshop workers. The scandal couldn't have come at a worse time for the workaholic Miranda, whose own boss, Irv (Tibor Feldman), has hinted at making her head of content, which would be Miranda’s dream, although she’s already exorbitantly wealthy and powerful.

Amidst the periodical’s new controversy, Irv and his somewhat space-case of a son, Jay (B.J. Novak), quickly go on damage control, and they conveniently get a tip that Andy would be the ideal candidate to head the features department at Runway and restore the magazine's public integrity. Andy's hiring infuriates Miranda (although Miranda is so self-involved she barely remembers Andy anyway), but it delights Nigel (Stanley Tucci), Runway’s longtime art director who’s always had a soft spot for the resilient Andy. Miranda must also concede to the wishes of Emily (Emily Blunt), her former assistant who's now a bigwig at Dior. Emily demanding free advertising in Runway's struggling print edition is just one of the ways she's scheming to get back at Miranda for being so mean to her all those years ago.

Even though it's the sharp banter and saucy interplay of the cast that is most appealing about "The Devil Wears Prada 2," we must also credit McKenna for crafting a screenplay that doesn't simply mail in a hollow conflict as a means to bring the old gang back together. We appreciate the script's insight into corporate consolidation, the squeezing out of the human element in institutions such as journalism and fashion, and the idea that competition, not repetition, is what gives various arenas their personality and forces them to keep reinventing themselves. It was also reassuring to find it’s not lost on the characters that trying to keep up with all the changes in their industries takes its toll on their relationships, bodies, and mental health. Like the original, which was based on Lauren Weisbeger’s real-life experience with the Miranda-like figure, Anna Wintour, at Vogue, we get the impression "Devil 2" knows what it's talking about in terms of the worlds and lifestyles it depicts.

Where "The Devil Wears Prada 2" loses some points and momentum, however, is with its supporting characters, none of whom is given enough screen time or properly developed. Among them are Miranda's latest husband, Stuart, played Kenneth Branagh, who is relegated mostly to the background, which is odd given Branagh's talent and resume; Peter (Patrick Brammall), Andy's new love interest who seems tossed into the mix just to give Andy a punching bag for when she starts letting her job get the better of her (just as she did in the original); and worst of all, Benji (Justin Theroux), a winy, insensitive billionaire and Emily's boyfriend who is never realized as anything beyond an obnoxious caricature.

About Benji, even in this day and age, we find it hard to believe he could be so thick, puerile, and insufferable as the film makes him out to be, and the usually reliable Theroux feels grossly miscast—either that, or he simply gives a bad performance and plays Benji way over-the-top. We also find it hard to fathom that Lucy Liu's Sasha character, Benji's high-profile ex-wife, would have ever fallen for him. Although, to be fair, we can't really say too much about Sasha because she only appears in two scenes, and her role in the plot is obvious early on.

Still, "The Devil Wears Prada 2" works as a slightly more-than-adequate sequel, one in which the takeaway is more sheen than substance. On that level, though, it's slick, energetic, and often fun to look at. Production designer Jess Gonchor and cinematographer Florian Ballhaus lean into the New York City and Milan locations, and costume designer Molly Rogers must have had her work cut out for her given the subject matter, but she delivers. "Devil 2" ultimately subscribes to a formula, but it's got its own sense of panache, poise, and confidence, which was likely one of the things the filmmakers were going for in a movie about fashion.