Same Devil, New World: The Sequel Updates the Plot but Keeps the Style
Twenty years after the original phenomenon, *The Devil Wears Prada 2* arrives as a glossy, amiable, yet familiar sequel to the mid-200s Manhattan romantic comedy. While the fashion and publishing landscapes have undergone significant transformation, the core dynamic between the terrifying editor and her aspiring protégé remains strikingly intact.
The film reunites the original creative team, including screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna and director David Frankel, alongside the iconic trio of Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, and Stanley Tucci as the loyal Nigel. Streep’s Miranda appears ageless, as does Tucci’s Nigel, who remains the magazine’s privately melancholy second-in-command. Hathaway’s Andy returns after being laid off from a traditional broadsheet, finding herself unable to refuse a new offer to serve as features editor at *Runway*.
The sequel attempts to update the narrative for a modern context. The magazine now operates with significantly reduced budgets, struggling against the digital economy’s demand for clicks and a younger, less class-conscious demographic. Miranda is forced to navigate contemporary expectations, feigning support for body positivity and diversity while undergoing language corrections from her new assistant, Amari (Simone Ashley), and even enduring coach flights.
Despite these updated pressures, the film relies heavily on the chemistry of its returning cast. Emily Blunt reprises her role as Emily Charlton, now the head of Dior, who has assumed the mantle of the industry’s “ice queen.” She delivers sharp commentary on the recession-proof nature of ultra-luxury branding. The film also features a host of celebrity cameos, though the anticipated appearance of real-life *Vogue* editor Anna Wintour is notably absent.
Critically, the sequel is buoyant and well-crafted, though it stumbles in its romantic subplots. Andy’s relationship with an Australian real estate magnate (Patrick Brammall) lacks the necessary spark, and the introduction of Miranda’s new boyfriend, played by Kenneth Branagh as a violinist, feels somewhat bizarre. However, the film successfully recreates the beats of the original—from cafeteria confessions to high-stakes corporate coups—while including nostalgic callbacks, such as the infamous blue polyblend sweater.
Ultimately, *The Devil Wears Prada 2* offers good-natured entertainment that wears well. It is a stylish, if predictable, revisit to a beloved franchise that manages to balance nostalgia with a commentary on the evolving nature of the fashion industry.
