The Devil Wears Prada 2 left me with a Miranda Priestly revelation. Gird your loins, the fab four are back—by this I mean Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci. In the 20 years since the original, the film has become a pop culture phenomenon, a generational comfort watch, and a source of quotable lines for any occasion, from 'groundbreaking' florals in spring to 'by all means, move at a glacial pace, you know how that thrills me.'
A Sequel Worth the Wait
The hopes for this sequel are sky-high, with original screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna and director David Frankel returning, alongside Blunt and Hathaway, who are now major stars, and Streep, who has accrued eight more Oscar nominations since her original turn as feared Runway editor Miranda Priestly. But the sequel also acknowledges the vast, unpredictable, and potentially destructive changes the fashion industry has faced. Fashion magazines like Runway are teetering on extinction, and the entire industry—let alone print—is in crisis in the face of tech corporations and pervasive influencer culture. Budgets have been slashed, and we are in the middle of a cost of living crisis. It is a far bleaker and less aspirational world than that of the original film.
But that is what makes it such a meaningful time for the characters to return. The Devil Wears Prada 2 does not hold back, with Andy and her cohort fired by mass text in the middle of an awards ceremony. Journalists will be both triggered and vindicated by true-to-life experiences as shared in this film, which sees industry icon Miranda plunged into an embarrassing crisis from the start—before Andy Sachs, her former assistant from two decades ago (whom she does not recognize), is parachuted in to save the day with her features reporting by the media group's CEO. And you know how that will thrill Miranda.
Returning Characters and New Dynamics
We only need to wait minutes after her reintroduction before Miranda, Andy, and Nigel (Tucci) are rushing to a meeting to appease one of their biggest commercial spenders—Dior, where the snarky Emily (Blunt) now works as a high-powered executive, ready to put Andy and her journalistic 'standards' in their place. Other changes include Miranda now having to hang up her own coat (we see Streep struggling with comic exhaustion) after a talking-to from HR about throwing it at her assistants. They are now represented by Bridgerton star Simone Ashley's snippy Amari and people pleaser Charlie (Caleb Hearon). One of Amari's jobs is to keep Miranda in line when she utters iconic, if problematic, lines such as: 'A bumbag—may my suicide be brief but painless.' But she also has no problem upbraiding the cheerful Charlie herself, reminding him: 'What did we say about laughing?' It is not all change at Runway!
In a bid to impress Miranda, Andy pretends that she has scored Miranda's longed-for interview with the enigmatic Sasha Barnes (Lucy Liu), newly divorced (and minted) from billionaire Benji (Justin Theroux, with a receding hairline). However, that is just the start of the Runway chaos, which takes in backstabbing, deaths, decimated budgets, a difficult relationship with Lady Gaga, and consultants who introduce themselves with 'Harvard MBA, not important' all in one breath.
Key Details
- Director: David Frankel
- Writer: Aline Brosh McKenna, based on characters by Lauren Weisberger
- Cast: Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Kenneth Branagh, Justin Theroux, Simone Ashley, Lucy Liu, Lady Gaga, Patrick Brammall, B.J. Novak, Caleb Hearon, Rachel Bloom, Helen J. Shen
- Age rating: 12A
- Run time: 1hr 59m
- Release date: The Devil Wears Prada 2 releases in cinemas on Friday, May 1.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a sparkling continuation of form. All the cutting asides are in place as hoped for, and there is enough space for fan favorites Emily and Nigel to remain their iconic selves, as well as shaping the storyline. Streep slips seamlessly back into those designer heels as Miranda, channeling that icy yet soft approach once again that made her one of the most popular parts she ever played. The detail in her delivery—a sigh or a hesitation—can make everyday lines in the mouth of another actor soar.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 made it crystal clear to me that fans' desires for any more Miranda Priestly were perfectly justified—and satisfied—by this sequel. There was always room for more Miranda. It would be a travesty too not to see Streep land a second Oscar nomination for the same part, putting her in rarefied company, as befits her talent.
Best Quotes
- 'A bumbag… may my suicide be brief but painless' – Miranda
- 'Help yourself to standards galore' – Emily
- 'May the bridges I burn light my way' – Emily
- 'Well look what TJ Maxx dragged in' – Nigel
- 'My God, just hide a feeling for once please' – Emily
- 'I'm stretched thinner than a pair of Spanx' – Emily
- 'You've changed – you're much more confident. Kept those eyebrows though, didn't you?' – Emily
Hathaway actually has the least flashy or fun role as Andy but is more than happy to be the audience surrogate reacting to all the eccentrics surrounding her and the ridiculous situations. Miranda's edges have not really been softened (although we meet her laidback husband, played by Kenneth Branagh), so Andy is still intimidated, if more experienced and confident. She also has a new love interest in the shape of Patrick Brammall's charmingly geeky Peter. He is not important to the plot other than to—extremely obviously—not be Nate, the problematic boyfriend played by Adrian Grenier in the last movie. More could have been done with his part, or maybe it does not really matter because it is the least important relationship to fans in the movie.
The Triumph of the Sequel
But alongside the great performances, fabulous costumes, and enjoyable one-liners, the biggest triumph of all for The Devil Wears Prada 2 is that it makes perfect sense. What we see the characters doing tracks exactly with what it feels like they would be doing now, a seamless extension of their lives after 20 years rather than an awkwardly tacked-on coda. The movie also tackles the modern media landscape and its challenges with aplomb; they have not just brought back everything because they can, but rather because there is something else yet to say.
Verdict
This is how you make a sequel and serve the audience what they did not even know they wanted, 20 years later. That is all. The Devil Wears Prada 2 is in cinemas from today.
