Devil Wears Prada 2 Storms Box Office With Record Breaking Opening

Fashion Returns to Rule the Box Office

Twenty years after Miranda Priestly first terrorized audiences with her icy stare and devastating one-liners, the fashion world's most feared editor-in-chief is back with a vengeance. "The Devil Wears Prada 2" premiered on April 20, 2026, in New York, and is scheduled to be released in theaters in the United States by 20th Century Studios on May 1, 2026. The sequel is projected to earn between $73 million and $80 million domestically, with international markets adding another $100 million for a stunning $180 million global opening weekend.

This marks a historic moment for Hollywood, as "The Devil Wears Prada 2" will become the first female-driven movie in modern history to kick off the summer box office, a duty that has generally gone to a Marvel superhero pic. The original film's modest $27.5 million opening in 2006 eventually grew into a $326.5 million worldwide phenomenon, proving that audiences were hungry for smart, stylish storytelling that didn't rely on explosions or superpowers.

The Gang's All Back

Development on the film began in July 2024, with all four leading actors – Streep, Hathaway, Blunt, and Tucci – signing on to reprise their roles, and Frankel and McKenna returning to direct and write, respectively. The Devil Wears Prada 2 sees Streep's Miranda Priestly still at the top of Runway magazine, as Andy Sachs (Hathaway) returns as features editor and they face off against Priestly's former assistant turned rival Emily Charlton (Blunt).

Perhaps most intriguingly, one of the most surprising developments in the sequel's trailer was that Streep's Miranda seemed to not remember Hathaway's Andy, or many of the key events that took place in the original film. Director David Frankel explained that decision may be "a little bit of a ploy on her part" but also "it's that thing you have when you have your first boss — they mean everything to you, you never forget them and the boss has had a million assistants." The psychological realism of this detail adds depth to what could have been a simple nostalgia play.

Media in Crisis

The sequel tackles contemporary issues head-on, exploring journalism as an honorable industry being decimated by layoffs, downsizing, the consolidation of media companies, and the proliferation of AI. All of which is true, and results in Andy struggling with the ever-present battle between writing about what people need to know, vs what they want to click on in the digital age. The plot follows Miranda Priestly's struggle against Emily Charlton, her former assistant turned rival executive, as they compete for advertising revenue amidst declining print media while Miranda nears retirement.

When asked how Miranda would navigate social media, Streep suggested "Miranda would have several assistants following people for her. She's a tastemaker and she's a curator of culture, pointing people in a certain direction." This insight reveals how the character has evolved to meet modern challenges while maintaining her essential nature.

Fashion Forward Expectations

The production spared no expense this time around. The sequel reportedly took a net $100 million to produce before marketing , a significant jump from the original's $40 million budget. As Streep told Stephen Colbert about the sequel, "This one, honey, they spent the money!" The investment shows in every frame, from the Italian fashion week sequences to the premium promotional partnerships with brands like Dior and Mercedes-Benz.

Early reviews suggest the gamble paid off. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 77% of 111 critics' reviews are positive. Metacritic assigned the film a score of 61 out of 100, based on 46 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. The fashion industry itself has embraced the sequel, with even Anna Wintour offering her support after initially distancing herself from comparisons to Miranda Priestly.

As audiences prepare to return to the cutthroat world of high fashion journalism, "The Devil Wears Prada 2" represents more than just a sequel—it's a statement about the enduring power of character-driven storytelling in an age of franchise dominance. Whether Miranda Priestly can maintain her iron grip on both Runway magazine and the box office remains to be seen, but early signs suggest that in the fashion world, some things never go out of style.