I was fresh out of college, working at my first job, when I watched the film The Devil Wears Prada. Like Andy, I was also just trying to figure out the ropes back then. I saw a great deal of myself with Andy. And I’m sure there were other girls like me back then who could relate to her struggles.

The Devil Wears Prada is one of my ultimate favorite films. It had soul and was thought-provoking. What was the cost of a successful career? Nigel said it best, then.

“Let me know when your life goes up in flames. That means it’s time for a promotion.”

Of course, I also loved the fashion—especially Andy’s fashion montage scene while Madonna’s Vogue played in the background. I thought the outfits were so fabulous. And who can forget the sharp dialogues?

Naturally, with a film cementing its status in pop culture history, the question arises: Will there be a sequel?

All dressed up for The Devil Wears Prada 2 film screening
Outfit details: Love Bonito dress, Valention shoes

A Sequel? Groundbreaking.

To borrow from one of Miranda Priestly’s biting dialogues -A sequel? Groundbreaking.

Sequels. Reboots. Revivals. Remakes. These are common in Hollywood. Some become successful, like Top Gun: Maverick. And some were better left alone.

It took 20 years for The Devil Wears Prada 2, to come to life. All the original main cast were back—Meryl Streep (Miranda Priestly), Stanley Tucci (Nigel), Emily Blunt (Emily), and Anne Hathaway (Andy Sachs). Even the original film’s creative forces were back at the helm: Director David Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna.

When I learned about this sequel, I had mixed feelings. I was both wary and intrigued. After all, it had very large shoes to fill. Would it be able to step into it confidently to make it a worthy sequel? Or would this be another one done solely for the purpose of nostalgic commercial success?

I went to the cinema to catch the screening on its first day to find out.

What the Sequel Got Right

The soundtrack.

Lady Gaga headlines three new songs on The Devil Wears Prada 2 soundtrack album. She even made a cameo in the film, singing “Shape of a Woman” during the Milan fashion show scene. Aside from her, other contemporary artists were featured, such as Olivia Dean, Miley Cyrus, and Dua Lipa. They’re all fun to listen to and worth streaming.

More dreamy locations

The Devil Wears Prada gave us New York and Paris. And the sequel, with an even bigger budget, gave us more dreamy locations! Yes, there’s still New York. But also Milan. Lake Como. And the Hamptons! All gorgeous places I’m still hoping to visit one day.

Fabulous designer wear

Of course, we cannot forget to talk about fashion. After all, this is a fashion film. Compared to the original, I didn’t like some of the outfits donned by the cast in The Devil Wears Prada 2. But that’s not to say there weren’t outfits I’d love to cop!

  • Vintage Jean Paul Gaultier Suit [Photo credit: Getty Images]
  • Ralph Lauren jacket and Valentino bag [Photo credit: Getty Images]
  • Dior White Logo Pin Button Down Shirt, a Wiederhoeft Black Satin Corset Top, Jean Paul Gaultier Pinstripe Pants, and Brandon Blackwood Black Sneaker Heels [Photo credit: credit: 20th Century Studios]
  • 2010 Jean Paul Gaultier x Levi’s Denim Jumpsuit and a Christian Dior Navy Blue Monogram Silk Scarf [Photo credit: credit: 20th Century Studios]
  • The Sacai Skirt And Shirt {Photo credit: 20th Century Studios]

The Story

And of course, we can’t forget to talk about the story of The Devil Wears Prada 2. After all, if the story itself is meh, then that just ruins the whole film.

There were parts that I thought were underdeveloped, such as Miranda’s two new assistants and their dynamics, which the film introduced early on in the film, but they quickly faded in the background. Then there’s the big challenge Andy had to meet—securing the Holy Grail interview with billionaire philanthropist Sasha Barnes (Lucy Liu) to save Runway. It’s the equivalent of Andy securing the unpublished book manuscript of Harry Potter in the first film. It just didn’t feel like it was as high stakes this time around. I thought that felt flat. And Andy’s new love interest (Patrick Brammall)—no chemistry at all with Hathaway. Nate (Adrian Grenier) was a better love interest chemistry-wise. And yes, I know Nate is the villain.

But overall, I thought the story was good. It was relevant to the times. In the sequel, Runway has gone digital, and just like it is in the real world, the publication’s definition of success is now all about clicks and other online metrics. It talked about the death of print publications, which is also happening IRL, which were flourishing in the 2006 film.

The sharp dialogue

The Devil Wears Prada gave us so much quotable dialogue, and I like that the sequel delivered some of its own too.

  • “Who gives away Chanel?” [Photo credit: credit: 20th Century Studios]
  • “May the bridges I burn light my way.” [Photo credit: credit: 20th Century Studios]
  • “You’re not a visionary, you’re a vendor.” [Photo credit: credit: 20th Century Studios]

The Devil Wears Prada 2 Review: My Overall Verdict

I hardly watch films in cinemas now, opting to wait for them to become available on streaming platforms. But The Devil Wears Prada 2 was one of the few I did watch on the big screen. And no regrets. I enjoyed watching it and am glad this sequel offered something new and good to tell. It retained the fun and aspirational feeling of the first. While I wouldn’t go as far as to say that this was groundbreaking, it was surprisingly good.

If you’ve been debating whether to watch The Devil Wears Prada 2 in cinemas, consider this your sign to go. Miranda Priestly would probably expect nothing less.