The Devil Wears Prada 2 movie review by Movie Review Mom

MOVIE TITLE: The Devil Wears Prada 2

This 20-year, long-awaited sequel opened in theaters in May 2026.

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 2 hours

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B

IN A NUTSHELL:

Nearly twenty years after Andy Sachs threw her mobile phone into a Parisian fountain, the fashion elite are back! In this sleek, nostalgic sequel, Miranda Priestly faces the ultimate modern horror: the decline of traditional print media. To save Runway Magazine, she is forced to go head-to-head with her former assistant, Emily Charlton, who is now a high-powered digital marketing executive. Caught in the middle of this clash of the titans is Andy, now a respected, serious journalist who gets pulled right back into Miranda’s orbit.

I absolutely loved the original The Devil Wears Prada, so I had very high expectations for this sequel. I enjoyed it, yet was also a little underwhelmed.

Already, the film has been nominated for 4 awards, winning 2: Best Teaser and Most Anticipated Movie of 2026. Most anticipated, indeed. The first trailer received 185 million online views with the first 24 hours of airing!

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Some mild profanity, a few coarse phrases, and sharp, PG-13 insults thrown around the office.
No graphic nudity or explicit content, though there are mature conversations about adult relationships, workplace politics, and high-society dating.
Miranda Priestly’s intense, demanding attitude and psychological warfare are back in full force, offering a great talking point about setting healthy professional boundaries.

THEMES:

Female leadership and mentorship in a cutthroat industry.
Adapting to change and aging gracefully in a fast-paced digital world.
Balancing intense career ambition with personal happiness and integrity.
Friendship
Ambition
Journalistic integrity
Fashion

THINGS I LIKED:

The Magic Reunion: The sheer joy of seeing Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci back together on screen is worth the price of admission alone. Five cast members have won Oscars: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Jon Batiste, and Lady Gaga! Their chemistry hasn’t aged a day! Yes, they all look older, but they all still look great! For those who are happy to simply experience nostalgia, this movie is for you. For many years, everyone wondered if there would be a sequel because the first movie was so beloved. Meryl Streep said she would never do a sequel to any of her movies, although she did agree to doing one for Mamma Mia after a 10-year wait. She finally agreed to do this one. Yay! Fun fact: Meryl Streep and Anna Wintour, the fashion icon Meryl’s character was based on, are sixth cousins in real life!
Emily Blunt Steals the Show: Emily Charlton was a fan favorite in 2006, but she completely dominates this film with incredible comedic timing, fierce wardrobe choices, and surprisingly deep emotional stakes. Fun fact: Emily Blunt’s sister is married to Stanley Tucci! Both Emily blunt and Stanley tucci have been nominated for Academy Awards.
The Fashion: The costume design is absolutely spectacular. It’s a visual feast of modern high fashion that will have you wanting to completely revamp your closet. In the first movie, Patricia Field was the Academy Award-nominated costume designer. She didn’t return for this film, but her longtime collaborator, Molly Rogers, stepped in.
Celebrity Cameos: This movie is absolutely filled with real-life, famous celebrities in the fashion, sports, and music industry. Fun! Meryl Streep personally invited Lady Gaga to perform in the movie. Great!
The Death of Journalism: The topic of where journalism is and is going is certainly timely. So many good journalists have been replaced by social media Influencers, Artificial Intelligence, and talking heads that simply say what the network wants them to say to tow the party line. Nowadays, it’s hard to tell who is telling the truth anymore in the media. It’s a sad day for journalistic integrity. The costumes from the movie are going to be auctioned off to benefit the Committee to Protect Journalists, which is a nonprofity organization that strives to protect and promote freedom of the press internationally. Nice.
Cerulean: Do you remember in the original movie when Meryl Streep’s character lectured Anne Hathaway’s character about how style is created in the fashion industry and then trickles down to the masses without their appreciating where it all came from? Specifically, she was referring to a cerulean-colored belt and sweater. The casting call for this film was called “Cerulean”! ha ha I love that. Anne Hathaway’s character appears to wear the exact same cerulean sweater she wore in the first movie.
Travel: In the first film, we get to spend time in romantic, magical Paris, France. In the sequel, we spend time in beautiful Milan, Italy.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

A Bit Predictable: The plot beats mirror the original film quite closely. If you’re looking for a groundbreaking, unpredictable narrative, it relies heavily on nostalgia. It just doesn’t have the same magical bite as the first movie.
Pacing Issues: The second act drags a little bit as the film tries to balance too many subplots involving the new corporate digital media landscape.
Characters: I didn’t understand why they made Stanley Tucci’s character so mean in this one. He was a loveable teddy-bear and advocate for Anne Hathaway’s character in the first movie. Meryl Streep’s character also seemed a bit off. She’s not as hard-hitting and powerful as she was in the original. I fully expected her to say, “That’s all” because it was such a funny, running gag from the first movie, but I think I only heard it once.

FUNNY LINES:

“Please bore someone else with your questions about algorithms.” – Miranda Priestly
“I am one seasonal flu away from my goal weight, and now I have to deal with TikTok?” – Emily Charlton

INTERESTING LINES:

“Everyone wants to be us, Andy. But the problem is, ‘us’ has to change with the times.” – Miranda Priestly
“I left this world behind to tell real stories, but I forgot that you’re the one who taught me how to fight for them.” – Andy Sachs