The Devil Wears Prada 2 is the sequel we needed. In an era of reboots and recycled plots, this sequel provides a refreshing new story separate from the first installment. While there’s a few cute references to the original, this is a new story following the characters after they went their separate ways.
After getting laid off, Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is asked to become the new feature editor of Runway in an attempt to save the magazine’s reputation. Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) is still reigning supreme as editor-in-chief, but has adapted to modern workplace expectations with Nigel (Stanley Tucci) still serving as her right hand man.
The movie touches on a number of changes in the fashion and printing industry, including thrifting, toxic hierarchies, and the switch to digital content. It’s a love letter to both fashion and journalism, with Miranda Priestly herself scoffing at the concept of AI taking over. The movie doesn’t waste time being self-referential. Instead, it demonstrates an understanding of modern concepts through the lens of familiar characters. While many legacy films insist on remaking or reusing old plot points with little consideration for contemporary devices, The Devil Wears Prada 2 prioritizes telling a new story in an industry reliant on change.
The fashion is, of course, spectacular. Andy once again gets an upgrade to her already stellar wardrobe once she rejoins Runway. Fans of the original movie will be excited to hear that Madonna’s “Vogue” plays over yet another montage of fabulous fits when the entire crew goes to Milan for fashion week. Miranda’s new first assistant Amari (Simone Ashley) steals the show with her attire throughout the movie.
It’s very apparent that this all-star cast had an easy time slipping back into their original roles. Streep keeps Miranda’s commanding presence despite the changing times and Tucci is as charming as ever as the honest but comforting Nigel. Ashley bounces off Streep’s solid performance by providing a similarly stern judgement as Amari. Hathaway sells the slight regression of Andy when she returns to Runway and balances it with the confidence and practicality of the character that grounds the movie. Andy and Emily (Emily Blunt) share many interactions that thrive off of Hathaway and Blunt’s chemistry. All of the characters feel like fully realized versions of who they were at the end of the 2006 movie and this sequel’s larger scale accommodates those developments and gives them even more room to grow.
Many might be skeptical about yet another sequel to an already iconic movie. Those skeptics can breathe easy, however, since The Devil Wears Prada 2 succeeds at an original story that is just as iconic and innovative as the first.
