Industry Split on The Devil Wears Prada 2 Box Office: Smash Hit or Soft Start?
The Devil Wears Prada 2 struts toward release with the box office runway in chaos, as projections swing wildly and tracking refuses to settle. Buzz is booming, skepticism lingers, and even seasoned forecasters are split on whether this sequel will slay or stumble.
The hype machine is running full tilt for The Devil Wears Prada 2, and if you thought the 2006 original had big shoes to fill, well, the sequel is lacing up a pair of extra-high stilettos. With its U.S. release dropping this Friday, the box office chatter has hit peak speculation mode—and predictions are swinging all over the map.
Box Office Forecasts: Swinging for the Fences
If you believe the latest projections, Prada 2 is about to make a splashy entrance. The most optimistic estimate has it raking in somewhere between $95 million and $105 million in its opening U.S. weekend (May 1-3). That's not just strong for a sequel—it's the best projection the movie's had so far, and honestly, kind of wild for a comedy sequel that's waited twenty years.
These high hopes are coming from BoxOffice Pro, where the analysts seem downright giddy about pre-sales. They even hint they're being conservative with those numbers, going so far as to say it could wind up one of 2026's box office champions. If the film actually crosses the $100 million mark in three days, it could nail down the year's record domestic opener for a non-animated release. For comparison, this year’s top live-action openers include Michael ($97.2M), Project Hail Mary ($80.5M), and Scream 7 ($63M).
There’s also a lot of weight riding on the return of Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, and Anne Hathaway—with fans and analysts betting nostalgia plus this cast equals big bucks. Don’t forget, the original Devil Wears Prada made $201 million worldwide, and over 60% of that came from international audiences. They're hoping lightning strikes twice.
Other Predictions: Not Everyone's Drinking the Kool-Aid
Of course, not every box office expert is expecting fireworks. Deadline is playing it a bit safer, putting its U.S. opening between $73 million and $80 million, and looking for a global debut at about $180 million. Still respectable, but not the headline-grabbing numbers BoxOffice Pro is dreaming about.
The interesting wrinkle? Domestic pre-sales are at $20 million—which is actually ahead of the pace for both Dune: Part Two and Project Hail Mary. Deadline's main caution is that films aimed at women tend to have front-loaded runs, showing up big in the first weekend and tapering off. That could get a short-term boost this time thanks to international Labor Day (May 1) and Mother's Day (May 10). Basically, the calendar’s working in Prada 2’s favor.
BoxOfficeTheory, meanwhile, goes straight down the middle, guessing $70 million to $95 million for the first weekend. Their optimistic case? Over 1,000 premium format theaters are showing it, and the ensemble (especially Streep) might draw in casual moviegoers. Their worry? Michael is only just fading out of theaters, and since it’s another female-targeted movie, it might soak up some of the same audience.
Quick Stats You’ll Want to Know
- Opening weekend projections: As high as $105M, as “low” as $70M
- Domestic pre-sales: $20M, ahead of recent major releases
- Rotten Tomatoes score: 78% as of April 30 (a slight uptick from yesterday)
- Main cast returning: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci
- Release date: May 1 (aligned with Labor Day internationally), Mother's Day on May 10 could help
- Biggest recent non-animated openers for context: Michael ($97.2M), Project Hail Mary ($80.5M), Scream 7 ($63M)
Reviews: Fun, Familiar, Some Grumbling
As for the critics, it's mostly positive, hovering at 78% on Rotten Tomatoes (which is slightly up from earlier in the week). Some say it’s a fun return, others shrug it off as more of the same. Jonathan Sim at ComingSoon didn’t love it, but a lot of reviewers are at least enjoying seeing Hathaway and Streep back in action. The general vibe: fun, familiar, nothing groundbreaking.
Meanwhile, Lady Gaga is all over the soundtrack—her single 'RUNWAY' (with Doechii) dropped April 27 and is apparently crushing it on YouTube, already racking up 5 million+ views for the music video.
Bottom Line
So, is The Devil Wears Prada 2 about to obliterate box office records, or just have a solid, nostalgia-fueled opening and go the way of most sequels? The answer, honestly, depends on which set of numbers you believe. But one thing’s certain: those early ticket sales (and the feverish fan nostalgia) shouldn’t be underestimated.
'It could finish the year as one of the highest-grossing titles domestically.' – BoxOffice Pro, not mincing words about the potential here.