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The Devil Wears Prada 2 Review: 20 Years Later
The Devil Wears Prada 2: Twenty years ago, Andy and Emily were assistants—ambitious, overlooked, and trying to prove they belonged—while Miranda Priestly ruled the room. Now, they all return changed, navigating career, love, and legacy in a sequel that understands how time reshapes identity.
Nearly two decades after The Devil Wears Prada became a defining cultural moment, The Devil Wears Prada 2 returns with something more than nostalgia.
It returns with perspective.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 Plot: What the Sequel Is About
Set once again inside Runway magazine, the film follows Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) as she navigates a rapidly shifting media landscape while fighting to preserve the publication’s relevance. Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) returns with new authority as an award winning journalist, and Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) now operates from a position of influence, someone who can call the shots and make the demands.
The film balances sharp, familiar dialogue with quieter, more reflective moments, trading some of the original’s urgency for a more measured, character-driven pace. It still moves with wit and style, but it allows space for something the original never needed to dwell on: what happens after success.
Because the plot itself is not what lingers after the credits roll.
What lingers is the question: what comes next?
After the climb.
After the sacrifices.
After you become the person you once worked so hard to be.
Was it worth it?
Would you change anything?
And who are you now that you’ve arrived?
The Devil Wears Prada 2: Where Andy and Emily Are 20 Years Later
Through the character arcs of Emily and Andy, the film makes it clear that some people evolve faster than others.
Interestingly, Emily is the one who has changed the most.
Gone is the anxious assistant surviving on cubes of cheese and sheer willpower. In her place is a woman who understands the industry and knows exactly how to operate within it. She still makes consequential mistakes—but the difference now is what she does afterward. She adjusts. She owns it. And by the end, she walks away with her head held high while no longer surviving on cubes of cheese.
Her growth isn’t just visible—it’s convincing.
Andy’s evolution is more complicated.
She’s traveled, built a career, and carries herself with far more confidence than before. But when pressure hits, something familiar surfaces. In key moments that deliberately echo the original film, she slips back into old patterns—reacting instead of leading, absorbing instead of asserting.
It doesn’t erase her growth.
But it does reveal it’s still in progress.
And that contrast between the two women is where the film becomes most interesting.
At times, Emily embodies transformation—clear, decisive, forward-moving.
At others, Andy reflects continuity—someone who has changed, but not completely.
Then the film quietly shifts the balance.
There are moments when Andy steadies, and Emily falters. Moments when experience shows—and moments when old instincts take over.
That fluidity feels honest.
Because growth rarely moves in a straight line.
It doubles back. It surprises you. It shows up when you need it—and disappears when you thought you had it figured out.
And in that way, The Devil Wears Prada 2 captures something real:
Even after twenty years, becoming who you are isn’t finished.
Miranda Priestly in 2026: Still Iconic, But Facing Legacy
Meryl Streep returns as Miranda Priestly with the same precision, authority, and quiet intimidation that made the character iconic.
But this time, the stakes are different.
Miranda is no longer simply maintaining power—she is confronting what happens when that power begins to shift.
As Meryl Streep has said, the operative word for Miranda this time is ‘legacy.’
“For Miranda, the operative word was “legacy.” How do you keep something going when it’s fading in its influence and cultural importance? How do you make something that is clearly a legacy publication still matter to people? It’s about her personal legacy, too. If this is what you did with your life, when you stop doing it, how do you want people to remember your accomplishments?”
Meryl Streep
This is no longer about whether Miranda can succeed.
She already has.
It’s about whether she still needs it.
Whether the influence, the control, and the identity she built are things she must hold onto—or things she can choose to step away from, with her head held high.
The film builds toward that question without forcing an answer—until a quiet, pivotal moment near the end reframes everything.
Love and Relationships in The Devil Wears Prada 2: Why Kenneth Branagh Makes Miranda’s Story Work
The film’s approach to romance is one of its most surprising strengths—but more specifically, it’s what allows Miranda’s story to fully land.
Miranda Priestly has never needed a love story to define her. In the original film, relationships existed around her—not for her. In fact, it’s difficult to remember much about her ex-husband beyond the fact that he didn’t come to Paris. That absence says everything.
Her new husband, Stuart, played by Sir Kenneth Branagh, changes that dynamic.
He is not intimidated by Miranda’s power, nor does he depend on it. He has his own identity, his own history, and meets her with independence and emotional steadiness. Their relationship is built on mutual respect rather than imbalance.
More importantly, he doesn’t try to direct her.
He listens. He asks. He shows up for her when she needs him.
By contrast, Andy’s relationship with the architect Peter (Patrick Brammall) feels secondary. It adds dimension to her life, but it never shapes the story in a meaningful way.
Emily’s relationship with the wealthy Benji (Justin Theroux), however, is far more integral. Now a divorcee with two children, her dynamic introduces a deliberate ambiguity:
Is she in love with him?
Or is she using the relationship to maintain her position?
All three women do a great job of reflecting a stage of life where love, security, and ambition are often intertwined.
Career, Power, and the Modern Workplace in The Devil Wears Prada 2
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is at its most relevant when it reflects the realities many people are facing now—downsizing, layoffs, and the instability of even the most established careers.
Miranda no longer operates in an unchecked world.
She can’t casually toss her coat onto an assistant’s desk or deliver cutting remarks without consequence. There are boundaries now—policies, expectations, and a cultural shift that demands accountability.
That tension is embodied in her first assistant, played brilliantly by Simone Ashley, who frequently corrects her in real time. At times, it feels as though she’s less an assistant and more an extension of HR—there to manage not just the workflow, but Miranda herself.
It’s a clever—and often funny—dynamic that highlights how much the workplace has changed.
Where the film occasionally falters, however, is in how directly it underscores these points.
Rather than always trusting the story to reveal these shifts naturally, it sometimes leans too heavily into them—turning observation into commentary.
These are realities audiences already understand.
We don’t need to be told they exist—we need to see them lived.
And that tension—between intention and execution—carries into other areas of the film as well.
Fashion in The Devil Wears Prada 2: Still the Standard
It would be impossible to talk about The Devil Wears Prada 2 without talking about the fashion—and thankfully, the film understands that.
The wardrobe once again operates as more than visual spectacle. It is storytelling.
Costume Designer Molly Rogers doesn’t just dress the characters. She reveals them.
Miranda’s looks remain immaculate and controlled, reinforcing her authority and self confidence even as her world shifts. Her presence still defines the room before she says a word.
Andy’s style reflects her evolution. She is no longer experimenting or trying to keep up—she is curated, intentional, and fully aware of how she presents herself. The transformation is subtle, but it signals confidence earned over time.
Emily, as expected, delivers some of the film’s sharpest fashion moments. Her style feels bold, deliberate, and unapologetic—mirroring her personality and her position. Where she once used fashion to survive, she now uses it to assert.
Final Verdict: Is The Devil Wears Prada 2 Worth Watching?
The Devil Wears Prada 2 succeeds because it evolves its story rather than repeating everything from the original movie.
It trades urgency for reflection, ambition for perspective, and arrival for meaning.
True, not every storyline carries equal weight, and at times the film leans too heavily into its messaging.
But its strengths—its performances, its character evolution, and its willingness to ask more difficult questions—make it a worthy sequel.
Most importantly, it understands this:
Twenty years doesn’t just change your career. It changes how you see everything you’ve built.
Rating: 4 out of 5
FAQs About The Devil Wears Prada 2
Is The Devil Wears Prada 2 worth watching?
Yes. The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a thoughtful sequel that focuses on career, relationships, and legacy 20 years later. While it occasionally leans too heavily into its messaging, strong performances and character growth make it worth seeing.
What is The Devil Wears Prada 2 about?
The film follows Miranda Priestly as she navigates a changing media industry while trying to maintain Runway’s relevance. Andy returns as an established journalist, and Emily has risen to a powerful position, creating new dynamics between the characters.
How has Andy Sachs changed in The Devil Wears Prada 2?
Andy is more confident and accomplished, but she still reacts in familiar ways under pressure. Her growth is evident, though not complete, showing that some patterns remain even after years of experience.
Does Miranda Priestly change in The Devil Wears Prada 2?
Miranda remains powerful, but her storyline focuses on legacy. She begins to question whether she still needs the success and control she built her life around.
Who is Miranda’s husband in The Devil Wears Prada 2?
Miranda’s husband is Stuart, played by Kenneth Branagh. He plays a key role in her character development by helping her reflect on her choices and future.
Is fashion still important in The Devil Wears Prada 2?
Yes. Fashion remains central to the film and is used as a storytelling tool to reflect each character’s growth, confidence, and position within the industry.
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Great review! It was super thorough and very thoughtful. I saw an early screening of the movie too and loved it! The additional supporting characters and storyline was so entertaining.