The Devil Wears Prada 2

The original Devil Wears Prada probably has what some might best describe as a cult following after its 2006 release, and its impact on pop culture has continued to grow. Now it’s exactly 20 years later, and the same cast, director, producer, and screenwriter are back in this highly anticipated follow-up.

I think the main thing fans of the original should know is that while dormant sequels tend to be a letdown after so much time has passed, I’m happy to report that The Devil Wears Prada 2 is just as sharp, witty, and entertaining as its predecessor. In some ways, it’s more so.

Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci are back in their roles as they’re once again thrust into the cutthroat world of the fashion industry.

Hathaway’s Andy Sachs is now a New York journalist, but just as she’s about to receive an award for a piece, she’s told via text that she and her entire staff are laid off, and she has to start looking for a new job.

As fate would have it, Sachs returns to Runway and once again faces her old colleagues of Tucci’s Nigel and, of course, Streep’s Miranda Priestly, who is still as icy cold, authoritative, and biting as ever. She doesn’t even remember who Andy is when they reunite two decades later.

Miranda is going through her own professional crisis, as she is in deep trouble over a puff piece and has to resort to sanitizing not only the company’s reputation but also her own image, as her tactics and demeanor have caused something of a problem. Miranda is also forced by her boss, Tibor Feldman, to hire Andy as an editor.

Blunt is back as Emily, Miranda’s sarcastic, sharp-tongued former assistant who now works for Dior, and she might be the key to further restoring their credibility, but there’s a sense of tension between the two women this time around.

The movie introduces a series of new characters who don’t really do a whole lot in this sequel, but thankfully, they’re given enough screentime to do some decent work: Kenneth Branagh is Miranda’s new husband; Justin Theroux is Emily’s new beau, and even Andy gets a love interest in Peter (Patrick Brammel).

The movie is pretty much cinematic comfort food for its target audience of female-loaded charisma. It has just enough familiarity that fans won’t accuse it of fan service, while also delving into the issues facing fashion news outlets today. Among them are print magazines vs. social media, and AI dominating how people respond to the latest trends. Some of the commentary is surprisingly effective and topical, while others might see it as preaching to the choir.

Still, the plot isn’t necessary when going into The Devil Wears Prada 2. It mainly exists as a vehicle to showcase highly talented actors back in the roles that fit them like a pair of Chanel boots. I guess maybe that’s what I should expect from a movie like this, and on that level, these actors deliver in spades, making the material work.

Fans will make it down the runway and be immensely entertained, and I have to admit, I enjoyed a lot of it and maybe even much more than the original. That’s all.