Is The Second Time Around Just as Delicious for The Devil Wear Prada 2 ?

When The Devil Wears Prada hit theaters nearly twenty years ago, audiences walked out obsessed with Miranda (Meryl Streep), Andy (Anne Hathaway), Emily (Emily Blunt) and Nigel (Stanley Tucci).  Well, honey they are back and the question of everyone’s lips – Is it just as delicious as the first time around or just a nicely wrapped studio cash grab? Honestly, it’s guilty on both counts.

Nostalgia and cinema have consistently gone hand in hand for decades.  Studios playing on a franchise and its resonance with audience sentimentality has been seen  with superhero films, MCU flicks and even the beloved Best Man franchise from Malcolm D. Lee. So, of course it was a money grab then as it continues to be today.

In 2026, Miranda Priestly struggles against Emily Charlton, her former assistant turned rival executive, as they compete for advertising revenue amid declining print media, while Miranda nears retirement.

Miranda has returned, still at the helm of Runway, who is now undergoing major changes in ownership – among other things.  Andy is feeling the pinch of journalism gone awry by being laid off. Nigel is still Nigel and still at Runway and Emily has moved on to Dior where she is the HBIC. Nate is nowhere to be found or even mentioned and lots of easter egg nods to the original complete with a Cerulean Blue sweater vest, belts and same orchestrations that are iconic to the franchise are laden throughout the film.

What it ironic about this sequel dropping now is unlike Miranda, Anna Wintour has stepped away as Editor of Vogue to be replaced by actress Candace Bergen’s daughter, Chloe Malle in a newly renamed role of Head of Editorial Content. Not to mention the journalistic landscape is becoming a wasteland with newspaper and magazine sites shuttering and journalists being laid off from legacy outlets in droves.  The film doesn’t shy away from this reality and embraces the onslaught of digital media, blogs, influencers and corporations taking over legacy outlets to t rebrand as a money grab tax write off.

It was refreshing to witness a more confident and badass Andy melt like child whenever she is in the presence of Miranda.  It’s like no matter how old or adult one may think they are when you get in front of your mother and/or father, you immediately digress to being twelve years-old. Anne Hathaway doesn’t appear to have aged one bit and slips back into this character without skipping the beat.  Mrianda (Streep) is still biting and blissfully aware that her past behaviour  may have caused a stir or two with HR more than a few times.

In general, all the characters have evolved with time in the best way possible and the fashion did not disappoint. My favorite moment was Miranda’s apology to Nigel for failing to recognize that he had aspired to move beyond Runaway underneath her all these years.  It was heartfelt and moving and the perfect way to propel this character into his next chapter of fashion. Emily is in her villain era and I was there for every second of it!

Quips like “last piece of wood floating to the the Titanic” or “may the bridges I burn light my way” are the type of biting dialogue that made us fall in the love with the first film and do not disappoint in this iteration for one single second.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a welcoming stroll through cinematic fashion with our favorite foursome bringing laughter to a world sorely in need of a smile.