In case you have been wondering if Runway Magazine would still be around 20 years later, no more time to guess. The Devil Wears Prada 2 shows a strong and ever-growing fashion magazine publishing house. The big four—Anne Hathaway (Mother Mary), Meryl Streep (Only Murders in the Building), Emily Blunt (The Smashing Machine), and Stanley Tucci (Conclave)—reprise their roles in a bigger and better way.
Miranda Priestly struggles against Emily Charlton, her former assistant turned rival executive at Dior, as they compete for advertising revenue amid the decline of print media, while Miranda nears retirement. Everything is set in motion when Irv Ravitz, the owner of Runway’s parent company, Elias-Clarke, makes a business decision to bring Andrea “Andy” Sachs back to Runway following unfortunate circumstances.
Hathaway, Streep, Blunt and Tucci still have it. The most fascinating part of Hathaway and Blunt’s roles is how much growth we see in Andy and Emily without seeing what they have been doing over the last 20 years. More specifically, both women seem more confident and appear to be at Miranda’s level of competency in their respective roles. These are not the same women who once feared Miranda would fire them.
Fans of the original 2006 film should not expect everything, or everyone, to be the same in The Devil Wears Prada 2. Audiences are quickly introduced to Miranda’s new husband, Stuart, played by Kenneth Branagh, who brings enough of his acting skill to create a more involved husband than the one in the first movie, without overshadowing the leads.
“Fans of the original 2006 film should not expect everything and everyone to be the same in The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
Miranda’s first assistant, Amari, played by Simone Ashley; Miranda’s second assistant, Charlie, played by Caleb Hearon; and Andy’s assistant, Jin, played by Helen J. Shen, round out the younger cast. Although they are all rising stars, they have small parts that are pivotal to the story, while also offering light comic relief between dramatic scenes. Ultimately, the core four characters remain in the spotlight throughout the film.
The main question of why The Devil Wears Prada deserved a sequel is answered through its themes, which the movie addresses immediately. This sequel makes sense for each of the four main characters because it reflects what has been happening to many publications and companies. It feels like a reminder of what The Secret Life of Walter Mitty explored in its first act, when new companies take over established ones and gut them until almost no one is left. As physical media and publications become increasingly rare in real life, the film emphasizes this issue as well.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 also stared the issue of AI in the face, in terms of entering the creative space. When it came to this topic and seeing Miranda fight the technological push into the modern world, I could not help but root for Miranda more in this movie. I appreciated that the film had two antagonist groups/themes: revenge and greed. Without spoiling anything, the revenge made sense, and I expected as much. The greed addressed the themes of change I mentioned above.
“Watching this 20 years later felt like a natural progression of each character’s story, and it felt like a necessary part two rather than an unnecessary sequel.”
Looking back, I found The Devil Wears Prada too feel-good a story for Andy and some of its other characters. This movie also felt the same way, but I appreciated the convenient, happily-ever-after moments more in this one. Maybe it was because some of the loose ends in the last movie were addressed in this film.
In terms of filming techniques, I thoroughly enjoyed the use of vintage-style footage during one of the montages in The Devil Wears Prada 2. It felt like watching high-profile celebrities captured on film, in a nostalgic style that recalled old, real-life footage of famous people. This reinforced the film’s view that tradition and older techniques have a distinct nostalgic look and feeling. To strengthen the montage’s visual impact, costume designer Molly Rogers chose a stunning collection of clothing for the showcased outfits. I can already visualize how many people will try to recreate these looks.
Of course, music supervisor Julia Michaels had to add in Madonna’s Vogue to the montage too, paying homage to the first film. But there were also modern needle drops, such as Laufey’s Mr. Eclectic and Saturn by SZA. Lady Gaga even made an original song for the film called The Shape of a Woman. So, even the music was a mixture and battle of old versus modern songs.
“For those who have been waiting 20 years for a solid follow-up film, this was it.”
Composer Theodore Shapiro returns to bring back his score for The Devil Wears Prada 2, and the rendition pulled me right back into that 2006 era of fashion runways. Shapiro has scored many great movies and TV series, but has found major success with the Trolls films and by creating the iconic Severance theme and music heard in the show. His score also matched Michael’s use of licensed music well.
For the overall visual storytelling in The Devil Wears Prada 2, director David Frankel and cinematographer Florian Ballhaus maintain a sharp eye for transitions that keep the film’s energy high. Smash zooms, along with a possible mix of digital and original 35 mm film, match the tone of a story centred on fashion. These choices give the film a semi-documentary look. Is it a little over the top? Do not forget, this film represents fashion at its most extravagant. The filmmaking details reflect this, using technical techniques that are rarely seen in modern films.
To say the least, The Devil Wears Prada 2 feels like a strong continuation of the original. Watching it 20 years later feels like a natural progression of each character’s story. It stands as a necessary sequel rather than an unnecessary followup. For those who have waited two decades for a satisfying return, this delivers. Suit up and gird your loins again, as this sequel will make you laugh, cry and feel warmth just as much, if not more, than the first.
