Glossy, high voltage and so true to life – and the Devil has all the best lines, ALEXANDRA SHULMAN reviews the Devil Wears Prada 2

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The Devil Wears Prada 2 (12A)

The long anticipated Devil Wears Prada 2 has arrived in all its accessory-laden glory. 

Was it worth the 20-year wait? Well, that all depends on what you were waiting for.

The film immediately feels familiar, starting with classic New York imagery – the city skyline, busy streets, and the everyday morning routine of looking in the bathroom mirror.

The film about Andy Sachs (played by Anne Hathaway), a kind-hearted intern at Runway magazine, and her demanding boss Miranda Priestly (played by Meryl Streep), was a huge success around the world.

Lauren Weisberger’s funny book – which I definitely read! – about her experiences as Anna Wintour’s assistant, became a huge success around the world.

The film arguably had a similar effect on Anna Wintour. She was already a powerful and well-known figure in the fashion world, famous for her steely resolve and always wearing Chanel sunglasses, but the movie transformed her into a global icon.

The magazine world has changed dramatically since then. What used to be a focus on the printed magazine is now just one part of a much larger digital presence, including websites and social media. This is the new reality Miranda Priestly is struggling to accept.

I didn’t enjoy the movie when I first watched it years ago, but I acknowledged that it felt realistic.

I had been editing British Vogue for 14 years at that point and obviously knew Anna.

We saw each other often as colleagues at industry events and meals, but our magazines were rivals, constantly competing for the same photographers, celebrities, and models. She and Vogue always seemed to get first pick.

When I became editor, we weren’t allowed to use photographers who were also contributing to Harper’s Bazaar, as it was Anna’s biggest rival in the United States.

Anna could be just as sharp-tongued as Miranda Priestly when she disliked what she heard, but she’s always been funnier and more quick-witted.

The movie also highlighted how much emphasis society places on looks. There’s a moment where a character wonders if it’s impossible to find a slim female paratrooper, and I found that line painfully relatable.

It was challenging to find clothes for photo shoots featuring size 12 or 14 models, and some public relations teams didn’t believe those sizes aligned with their brand’s image.

In this latest version of the story, the main job of Priestly’s serious new assistant, Amari (played by Simone Ashley from Bridgerton), is to stop her boss from saying things that could be considered offensive.

To keep the magazine afloat, Priestly reluctantly joins the trend of public apologies, even admitting when he’s made mistakes.

The sequel to The Devil Wears Prada frequently references funny moments from the first film and surprisingly anticipates the challenges the characters face in this new story.

When the owner of the publishing company passes away and his son, who prefers athletic wear, takes over, everything changes. This includes Priestly’s hopes for a promotion to lead all content worldwide – a role similar to the one Anna currently holds.

Lunch meetings now take place in the company cafeteria, a place Priestly hadn’t even realized was there, rather than the famously pricey Four Seasons restaurant in New York.

Companies often hire management consultants to review their strategies, which frequently involves reducing costs. This is similar to what’s been happening at Condé Nast, the publisher of Vogue, where magazines like Glamour have seen significant layoffs and editors have lost much of their decision-making power.

Miranda Priestly, once known for her dramatic entrances at Runway magazine, is now frail and struggling, even needing help hanging her coat. To make matters worse, she’s being forced to travel to Milan in coach class – a major humiliation for her.

Despite everything, she still delivers cuttingly sarcastic remarks. For example, she asks a weary Andy, who has returned to the magazine as a features editor (though she’s only ever shown writing, not managing), ‘Are you walking with a limp?’

Stanley Tucci returns as Nigel, the resourceful creative director who always seems to solve problems. He’s still a supportive colleague, but he’s a bit old-fashioned, preferring to review photos as physical prints instead of on a screen – a method that went out of style years ago.

The new novel mirrors Anna’s real life in a striking way. Like her friendship with Jeff and Lauren Sánchez Bezos – who she convinced to fund this year’s Met Gala – the book features a character, Sasha Barnes, and her wealthy, unsophisticated tech husband, Benji, as central figures.

Benji is enjoying life in his beautiful villa on Lake Como. He jokingly mentions avoiding water, claiming he’s deliberately trying to stay slightly dehydrated – a comment that reflects the tech world’s current fascination with extending life.

If the most memorable character gets all the best dialogue, then in this film, that character is definitely Emily Blunt’s Emily Charlton. She was the sharp-tongued assistant in the original movie, and now she’s back as a delightfully awful PR executive at Dior. Blunt is absolutely fantastic in the role.

She playfully points out how magazines used to be important, and it’s painfully clear the team at Runway has to comply with Dior’s requests – a huge feature on their new store with Dior getting credit on every photo caption – just to avoid losing their advertising money. I immediately understood the situation, as it felt very familiar.

Emily’s campaign against Miranda for firing her from Runway is the engine of the whole film.

The potential new editor of Runway magazine has proposed a surprising idea: appearing on the cover of their first issue. This mirrors a recent Vogue cover featuring Anna Wintour alongside Meryl Streep, raising the question of who should be featured first.

In a typically sly moment, Miranda encourages Andy to accept the $350,000 advance offered for a tell-all book about their boss, even when Andy expresses reservations.

He insisted I include every interesting detail, saying it could extend his career. He demanded complete honesty – nothing less would do.

Fans of the first movie will enjoy this funny sequel. It keeps all the things they loved, like the wild costumes and the over-the-top love of carbs.

The series continues to attract major names in fashion, as shown by guest appearances from Marc Jacobs, Donatella Versace, and Lady Gaga.

Viewers who analyze films closely might find Andy’s sudden romance and Miranda’s unexpectedly sweet husband (played by Kenneth Branagh) feel forced and unconvincing.

Some readers might find the way Andy returns to the magazine unbelievable and feel the beginning drags on a bit.

However, it’s impossible to deny how energetic and enjoyable it is. And honestly, we could all use a little fun right now.

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2026-04-30 02:21