Twenty years later, the “Emilys” are back in very different roles navigating a very different fashion and publishing world in “The Devil Wears Prada 2.” Although Miranda (Meryl Streep) is much tamer, our first glimpse of her is in a show-stopping red gown, while when we first see Andy (Anne Hathaway), she’s in pajamas. Andy is now a seasoned journalist and is hired to help with crisis management for the declining Runway magazine. Stanley Tucci reprises his role as Nigel, working behind the scenes to keep things running (and he finally gets the credit he deserves). With his sense of style and sharp wit intact, he exclaims, “Look what T.J. Maxx dragged in!” when he sees Andy. Behind the scenes though, he is her biggest supporter and even curates wardrobes for her.
The chemistry of the full cast is superb. The original wily Emily (Emily Blunt) is back, with newcomers Simone Ashley, Lucy Liu, Justin Theroux, and Tracie Thoms. Ashley, as the “new Emily,” keeps Miranda in check with socially acceptable phrases. Benji Barnes (Theroux) is engaged to Emily, but he’s also the ex-husband of Sasha Barnes (Liu), who is the holy grail interviewee Andy seeks to impress Miranda.
The film features cameos of fashion celebrities including Law Roach and Donatella Versace. Lady Gaga makes a stellar appearance singing “Shape of a Woman,” one of three original songs she wrote for the film. Many of the same core team, including screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna and director David Frankel, reunite for this entertaining sequel.
The cult-favorite original movie came out in the summer of 2006, and was adapted from Lauren Weisberger’s best-selling novel, which drew on her experiences as an assistant to Anna Wintour, the former Vogue editor-in-chief. This 2026 sequel folds in current tech and social media phenomena like Miranda memes and online engagement.
My daughter and I have always liked the original “Devil Wears Prada,” so it was a treat to see this together. We both declared it a winner, as we rooted for the kind-hearted Andy to prevail as she tried to find the best solutions for everyone. Comical highlights we enjoyed include Miranda discovering the employee cafeteria and flying coach for the first time.
An interesting note about the original movie is that when Meryl Streep was asked to sign on, she refused, saying she finally knew her worth, and asked for double the money and got it. Also, kudos to Anne Hathaway who pushed for size inclusivity for the models during the fashion show scenes in this sequel.
We highly recommend “The Devil Wears Prada 2” to anyone who is nostalgic for the original and to the new generation of fashionistas.
Movie times: Click here
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Director: David Frankel
Actors: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Justin Theroux, Simone Ashley
Running Time: 1 hour and 59 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for some strong language
