Devil Wears Prada 2 Review: Andy Sachs Comes Back Sharper, and Miranda Priestly Refuses to Blink (3.8/5)

Spoilers ahead — gird your loins. We witnessed the beginning of Andy’s career in the first one, and in Devil Wears Prada 2, we are witnessing how high she can fly. From the trailer, it might seem like a story where Andy is back to her underconfident, “I’ll-do-whatever-you-say” self. But in this one? She’s a fierce competitor to the boldness Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly brings to the screen. Anne Hathaway has grown into this character, and you can feel it.

So, if you’ve been waiting for The Devil Wears Prada sequel since 2006 (yes, it’s been that long), I say go for it. It’s a solid 3.8 out of 5, if not more.

The movie doesn’t just bring back the fashion that’s probably going to be all over your timeline for the next month; it expands it. Honestly? It’s like a fashion-show gossip story documented through IMAX cameras. Tons of fashion. Tons of music (Lady Gaga and Doechii dropped Runway on the second trailer, in case you missed it). And, Tons of drama.

What Devil Wears Prada 2 is actually about

Without giving away the whole plot of my Devil Wears Prada 2 review: Runway is dying. Print is dying. Miranda Priestly is fighting for the soul of her magazine in an era where ad money has migrated to influencers and fast fashion, and the boardroom is run by people who care about quarterly numbers more than couture.

That’s the real war. Everything else, the assistants, the love interests, the Milan runway, is just the battlefield.

The new faces joining Devil Wears Prada 2

B.J. Novak joins the cast as Irv’s son, who now owns Runway. And somehow — The Office fans, you’ll know what I mean — he wants to downsize Runway. Of course he does. After Irv dies, the whole ownership falls to him, and he starts looking into “budget cuts” the way a vulture looks into roadkill. That’s where the story takes its sharpest twist.

To counter him, an unexpected collaboration happens between Andy and Emily, Andy and Nigel, and Andy and Miranda. Yup, three separate Andy team-ups. It’s the structural choice that makes the second half sing.

Other noticeable new characters:

• Kenneth Branagh as Miranda’s doting husband (a full pivot from the divorce-papers husband of 2006 — some men do grow up).
• Justin Theroux as tech billionaire Benji Barnes, who is essentially Jeff Bezos with hair.
• Lucy Liu as Sasha Barnes, a philanthropist and the ex-wife of Justin Theroux’s character. 
• Simone Ashley as Amari, Miranda’s new sharp-as-glass first assistant. Miranda-in-training energy. She’s great.
• Lady Gaga in a cameo that the marketing team has been very smug about.

There are tons of throwbacks too — Andy’s old desk, Miranda’s coat-toss, the cerulean monologue echoing in spirit if not in words. You will get the references. Might even smirk. Or, you will feel old.

Was Devil Wears Prada 2 better than the first one?

Honestly? I don’t think so.

The first half is good but slow, and it doesn’t quite have the lightning-bottle charm of the original. There’s a lot of setup — a lot of “here’s the new world, here’s the new villain, here’s why Runway matters.” Necessary, but it sits on you a bit.

The second half, however, starts with a bang. There’s a pin-drop-silence moment when Miranda is about to touch new heights in her career, and the entire theater inhales. That’s where the BGM lifts, the cameos start landing, and the story finally remembers it’s allowed to be fun.

As for the ending — I loved it. Everyone gets a fair share of the kind of growth and respect they deserve. Emily gets her win. Nigel gets his. Andy gets hers. Miranda gets hers, in that quiet, cutting Streep way that doesn’t need a speech.

But I still love the first one more. The IMAX format also doesn’t carry the cinematography charm those grainy 2006 frames had. There was a texture to the original that the polish of 2026 sands off a little.

Should you watch Devil Wears Prada 2?

Yes. Watch it in theaters if you can; Milan looks stunning on a big screen, and the costumes (Molly Rogers is a magician) deserve more than a laptop.

It’s not a better movie than the first. Well, it’s not trying to be. It’s a movie about what happens when the world changes around the people who used to define it — and how some of them adapt, some of them weaponize, and some of them just refuse to blink.

Miranda, of course, refuses to blink.

My rating

Liked this? Read more of my Critics’ Reviews, browse what else is hitting screens in my February 2026 movie guide, or roll the dice with the Random Movie Picker if you’re indecisive like me.

FAQs

When does Devil Wears Prada 2 come out in theatres?

Devil Wears Prada 2 releases in theaters on May 1, 2026. Distributed by 20th Century Studios (Disney), it held its world premiere on April 20, 2026 at Lincoln Center in New York City, followed by a London premiere on April 22 and a Tokyo premiere on April 24.

How to watch Devil Wears Prada 2?

Devil Wears Prada 2 is currently available only in theaters. Tickets can be purchased through Fandango, AMC, Cinemark, Cinepolis, Harkins, B&B Theatres, and Marcus Theatres. The film is expected to release on Disney+ and Hulu around early August 2026, following 20th Century Studios’ typical 60–90 day theatrical window. A digital rental and purchase release on Prime Video and Apple TV is expected a few weeks before the streaming debut. The original The Devil Wears Prada (2006) is currently streaming on Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max for a quick rewatch.

What will Devil Wears Prada 2 be about?

Devil Wears Prada 2 follows Runway magazine’s fight for survival in a media landscape dominated by influencers and fast fashion. Miranda Priestly faces a corporate takeover that threatens to shut down the publication, and Andy Sachs returns to Runway as a features editor to help her steer through a brewing scandal. Andy, Emily, and Nigel form uneasy alliances with Miranda to save the magazine. The film is set between New York City and Milan, and it explores ambition, reinvention, and the cost of staying relevant in a changing industry.

What is Devil Wears Prada 2 rated?

Devil Wears Prada 2 is rated PG-13 and has a runtime of 1 hour 52 minutes. The PG-13 rating reflects sharp adult dialogue, mild language, and workplace tension, with no graphic content. It is generally suitable for teen audiences and matches the tone of the original 2006 film.