The original “The Devil Wears Prada” came out in 2006, a massively successful film thanks to its iconic quotes, fashion scene and portrayal of big journalists. Fast forward to 2026, “The Devil Wears Prada 2” was released in theaters on May 1 and is expected to continue playing until mid-June—until it becomes available for digital streaming.
This highly anticipated sequel follows the same characters, portrayed by famous actors Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci, but it also shows the evolving journalism industry as print magazines decline and digital media takes over. Despite this fresh perspective, some viewers feel it lacked the wow-factor of the first movie.
Streep plays Miranda Priestly, editor-in-chief of Runway Magazine. Streep was a fan favorite in the first movie because of her demanding and unforgiving—yet completely fascinating—approach to managing her publication. The second movie’s storyline shows that sassiness and attitude fading away as she bends over backwards to keep her magazine afloat. This makes her persona less intimidating, and not necessarily in a good way.
“I love The Devil Wears Prada, but I liked the first movie better,” junior Evy Glass said. “I feel like the second movie didn’t have much of a plot and I wish there was more of [Streep].”
One of the most confusing parts of this movie was Emily Blunt and Andy (Andrea) Sachs’ relationship. Initially, Emily is loyal to Miranda at Runway and views Andy, played by Hathaway, as a rival. In this sequel, she is seen as an influential and successful figure in the fashion world, and after being interviewed by Andy, the two unexpectedly become friends. However, this character growth completely disappears when it is revealed that she betrays both Miranda and Andy to advance her own career. Making matters more confusing, she reconciles with Andy and they meet for coffee in the final scene. Frankly, this all felt overly inconsistent and Emily’s intentions remained unclear.
Another issue with the movie was the unnecessary subplot between Andy and her building contractor. It took away from the Runway Magazine focus and depleted her journalism-focused personality, especially because her commitment to her job leads to her breaking up with her boyfriend in the first movie.
On the other hand, this film was worthwhile for some of its full-circle moments that fans yearned for in the 2006 film. An example of this is when Miranda finally learns to value Nigel, played by Tucci, and allows him his praise at Fashion Week, in contrast to the way he leaves Paris early in the first movie.
Overall, the film was an enjoyable, entertaining escape as it retained the franchise’s classiness through top-notch fashion, brilliant acting and humor. Even though the sequel did not have the same emotional impact as the original, viewers still appreciate its nostalgia factor and focus on the modern fashion industry.
“I honestly really liked [the second movie],” sophomore Amalya Monroe said. “It still had the New York journalism vibe and is a movie I’d recommend watching in theaters.”
