The Devil Wears Prada 2 Review: Great performances almost rise above surface level sequel

Two decades after The Devil Wears Prada turned sharp dialogue and sharper heels into a cultural staple, The Devil Wears Prada 2 reunites Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt for a follow-up that leans heavily on callbacks and reunions. The appeal is obvious, and to the film’s credit, that chemistry still sparks in the moments that matter.

But while the sequel flirts with timely ideas about relevance, declining reverence for art, and the ever-evolving print media landscape, it never fully commits to exploring them. What should feel like a natural evolution instead plays like a series of almost-there threads, elevated by performances that deserve more to work with.

There’s still enjoyment to be found, especially for fans eager to spend time with these characters again. The Devil Wears Prada 2 ultimately feels like it’s straining to recapture something that came far more effortlessly the first time around.

The Devil Wars Prada 2 Overview

Twenty years later, The Devil Wears Prada 2 revisits Andy Sachs, Miranda Priestly, Nigel, and Emily in familiar positions. Andy is now an award-winning journalist, though a public firing quickly undercuts that success and sets the story in motion. At Runway, Miranda and Nigel are trying to preserve the magazine’s identity as print continues to lose relevance. A lingering PR crisis only adds pressure, threatening what little stability the publication still has left.

Irv Ravitz and his son Jay (B.J. Novak) bring Andy back to Runway as a features editor to help stabilize things. From there, the film leans on familiar dynamics, though not always with the same impact as before. Miranda’s sharp insults remain, but they don’t land the same against a more confident and experienced Andy. What works better is how the relationships have evolved over time, particularly between Andy and Nigel.

Their dynamic carries a natural warmth that gives the film some of its strongest moments. Andy’s interactions with Emily also stand out, especially now that she’s working at Dior and tied to Runway as an advertiser. Blunt thrives in the fast-paced dialogue, making the most of nearly every scene she’s in.

There are strong ideas throughout, including a potential book about Miranda and shifting power within legacy media. A romantic subplot for Andy is present, but it never becomes particularly engaging. Without a clear antagonist or a stronger central conflict, the story often feels like it’s circling better versions of itself.

The Devil Wears Prada 2‘s performances alone are worth watching, but the script doesn’t quite match the first film.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 takes on legacy media

At its core, The Devil Wears Prada 2 frames Runway as a publication struggling to maintain relevance in a declining print landscape. The film leans into familiar industry realities, including shrinking ad revenue, audience fragmentation, and the increasing pressure to pivot toward digital-first strategies. A PR misstep accelerates that instability, leaving Miranda and Nigel on the defensive as leadership begins to question Runway’s long-term viability.

The introduction of Irv Ravitz’s son, Jay, reflects a generational shift in how media is approached. His perspective prioritizes efficiency, scalability, and broader audience appeal over the editorial voice that once defined Runway. Bringing Andy back as a features editor signals an attempt to bridge those competing philosophies, blending traditional storytelling with modern sensibilities.

There are clear parallels to real-world publications navigating similar transitions, particularly legacy brands forced to redefine themselves without losing identity. The film also touches on advertiser relationships as a lifeline, using Emily’s position at Dior to highlight how brand partnerships influence editorial direction.

While the ideas are grounded in recognizable industry trends, they often remain surface-level. The film introduces compelling tensions between legacy and innovation but rarely pushes them far enough to reshape the narrative. Instead, the backdrop of a changing media landscape functions more as context than a fully explored theme, even as it drives many of the characters’ decisions.

Head of Runway

Miranda Priestly remains the film’s most consistent force, anchoring The Devil Wears Prada 2 with the same precision that defined her in the original. Alongside her return to Runway as Features Editor, Andy is also given a book deal centered on Miranda, introducing a subplot that should carry significant weight.

The premise suggests a compelling conflict. Andy is positioned to write a revealing account of Miranda’s leadership style, but she resists framing it as a takedown. That hesitation hints at a more nuanced perspective, though the film never fully commits to exploring it. Instead, the idea surfaces intermittently, lacking the focus needed to drive meaningful tension.

The dynamic between Streep and Hathaway still works on a performance level. Andy is no longer defined by Miranda’s approval, which changes how their interactions land. What once felt sharp and immediate now plays with less urgency.

Andy’s return to Runway is also uneven. Her reputation as a strong writer is established, but her work initially struggles to connect. It’s only after landing a major interview that her standing begins to recover, which in turn softens her relationship with Miranda.

There are threads here worth exploring, including Miranda’s long-term future and her view of her own legacy.

Human Ingenuity

The film’s attempt to engage with AI and modern innovation, set against the decline of human ingenuity, never fully comes together. It’s a timely idea, especially given the film’s focus on legacy industries, but the execution feels more suggestive than fully formed.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 approaches this theme through two storylines. Andy’s relationship with Peter introduces it on a smaller, more personal scale. As a contractor, Peter has renovated an older building into a sleek, modern space that prioritizes efficiency over character. Andy’s reaction is immediate. She pushes back against the loss of personality, framing it as a trade-off favoring convenience over craftsmanship.

That same tension plays out on a larger stage through Miranda’s interactions with Benji Barnes (Justin Theroux). Benji represents a mindset that prioritizes automation and scalability, often at the expense of human input. His perspective isn’t framed as outright villainy, but it carries a clear disregard for the creative process that defines Runway. For Miranda, that attitude becomes a direct challenge to everything the publication stands for.

What works is how these threads mirror each other. Andy’s frustration with physical spaces losing their identity reflects Miranda’s larger battle to preserve artistic voice in a changing industry. Both are reacting to a world that increasingly values speed and output over intention and craft.

The resolution brings Andy and Miranda into alignment, forcing them to adapt without abandoning what defines their work. It’s one of the clearer thematic throughlines, even if the film stops short of fully interrogating the balance between innovation and creativity.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 Final Thoughts

The Devil Wears Prada 2 succeeds where it matters most at a surface level, bringing this cast back together with chemistry that still feels intact. Hathaway, Streep, Tucci, and Blunt slip back into these roles with ease, elevating material that doesn’t always meet them halfway. Their shared history does much of the heavy lifting, especially in quieter moments when the film leans on familiarity over plot.

The issue is that the film never quite decides what it wants to be. It introduces strong ideas around legacy media, creative identity, and modernization, but rarely follows through in a meaningful way. Subplots like Andy’s book deal and the broader AI themes hint at deeper commentary, yet they remain underdeveloped. What’s left is a film that feels like it’s constantly setting up more compelling versions of itself without ever fully arriving there.

There’s still enjoyment to be found, particularly for fans of the original who want to revisit these characters in a new stage of life. But unlike The Devil Wears Prada, which balanced character, conflict, and commentary with precision, this sequel leans too heavily on nostalgia and not enough on narrative clarity.

It’s not a misfire, but it never quite justifies its return either.