The Devil Wears Prada 2: Two Decades Later, Was Meryl Streep’s Return Worth It?

It finally happened: after years of speculation, the original gang from 'The Devil Wears Prada' is all back for a sequel. Yes, if you ever wanted to watch another round of sharp-tongued fashion bickering and over-the-top couture, here you go. But let’s be real—if you’re struggling to pay rent, you might not be holding your breath over the existential crisis of rich magazine editors with closets full of shoes worth more than most people’s cars.

The Premise: 20 Years On, Same Old Problems

The story picks up two decades after that first Prada heel dropped. Anne Hathaway’s Andy Sachs is now a legit journalist, poking at real news until her job is eliminated in a round of newsroom layoffs (relatable, unfortunately). Meanwhile, Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly is still holding the reins at Runway, but she’s in hot water: she naively praises a fashion brand that turns out to have some very sketchy manufacturing practices. Cue public outrage and angry advertisers as the internet mob comes for her.

The bigwigs at Runway decide the solution is to overhaul their reputation, and who better than Andy herself? So they bring her onboard as features editor—without checking with Miranda first, naturally. If you’re wondering, no: these two still do not get along. Their adversarial energy is unchanged, and yes, the writers know this is half the fun.

Old Friends, New Frenemies, Side Quests

Andy quickly realizes that deep, investigative features aren’t exactly what Runway’s new, TikTok-era audience craves. To get things moving, she reaches out to her old frenemy Emily (Emily Blunt in full, razor-sharp mode), who’s now a Dior exec and currently attached to a billionaire tech bro (played with just the right amount of awkwardness by Justin Theroux).

Meanwhile, Runway is still pretending print isn't on life support and is awkwardly trying content for people who get their news from memes. Miranda’s style of management—let’s just call it creative bullying—isn’t getting any softer either, though there’s a twist: Simone Ashley joins as Amari, the new assistant, whose main job seems to be making sure HR doesn’t put Miranda on the front page of The Cut for workplace harassment. The dynamic is funny, even if it’s a little on-the-nose.

Those Familiar Faces (and Some Unfortunate Plot Padding)

• Meryl Streep is still chewing the scenery as Miranda, walking the line between genius and tyrant.
• Anne Hathaway delivers as Andy, still craving Miranda’s respect (for better or worse).
• Emily Blunt returns as Emily, just as prickly but way higher up the ladder.
• Justin Theroux plays the comic relief tech mogul boyfriend, who is somehow less shallow than the other love interests.
• Stanley Tucci is back as Nigel, the unsung hero. His scenes are the emotional core, especially when he gets to play fairy godmother to Andy (the closet scene got applause at my screening).
• Kenneth Branagh randomly shows up as Miranda’s new husband, mostly to reassure her that it’s okay to be mean as long as you look fabulous.
• Simone Ashley is Amari, the assistant/HR chaperone.

Fashion: Still Ridiculously Over-the-Top

Let’s talk wardrobe. Molly Rogers, a protégé of Patricia Field (from the original), goes all-out with costumes that’ll no doubt snag some awards buzz. Expect everything from runway knockouts to outfits that look like parodies of the world’s most pretentious designers. It’s a visual treat, but also a wink at how absurd the fashion industry can be.

The State of Runway: Is Anyone Even Reading?

The movie isn’t shy about poking fun at the slow decay of print magazines, suddenly desperate for 'likes' and viral moments. Miranda and Andy both want to save Runway, just... in completely opposite ways. Their ideological tug-of-war serves up plenty of comedy (mostly thanks to Streep’s ability to roast anyone in a five-mile radius), but gets undercut by a bunch of sentimental interludes where every character gets a forced moment of sweetness. Frankly, most of the men are purely decorative, except for Theroux, who at least tries to earn his screen time.

'You don’t have to be nice, because being nasty and demeaning is why you prosper.'

That’s basically the lesson the film seems happy to teach, intentionally or not. It’s a weird takeaway, but at least they don’t pretend Miranda’s success comes from positive affirmations.

Does It All Work?

Much of your enjoyment will depend on how much you care whether Miranda gets brought down a notch or if you just want to see her be mean for two more hours. The plot isn’t exactly groundbreaking—there are only so many ways to reheat this dish—but the cast is having a blast, the costumes are jaw-dropping, and Streep remains unstoppable. If you’re here for more of the same snark and glam, you’re in luck. If you want something deeper... well, you probably don’t read Runway anyway.