A note of Vivaldi—the same as in the opening scene of 2006—resonates in the darkened theater. Manhattan awakens, heels click on the Park Avenue pavement, coffee arrives on an immaculate desk, and Miranda Priestly’s icy voice rises: “That’s all.” Twenty years, to the day, after the release in the United States of David Frankel’s film that made the fortune of Vogue’s print editions and Meryl Streep’s career, ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ arrives this Friday, May 1, 2026, in 4,200 theaters in the United States and 720 theaters in France, distributed by 20th Century Studios (Disney). A global release that, in itself, revives the promise of old-fashioned popular auteur cinema—a genre that was, however, thought to be doomed by streaming platforms.
A Plot Rooted in the Present Day of the Industry
The screenplay, once again by Aline Brosh McKenna, avoids the trap of pure nostalgia. The action takes place in 2025-2026: Miranda Priestly, now in her sixties, faces the announced demise of the print version of Runway, whose advertising revenue has plummeted by 78% in ten years. Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), now deputy editor-in-chief of Auteur, the major competing (and fictional) magazine owned by a tech billionaire played by Justin Theroux, is tasked with poaching Runway’s historical advertisers. Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) runs a communication agency for luxury brands and acts as an interested mediator. Nigel (Stanley Tucci) launches his own menswear line, in partnership with Kenneth Branagh, who plays a British press magnate inspired by the Lebedev brothers.
A Contemporary Critique Praised by the Press
The first reviews, published between April 28 and 30, are solid. TIME publishes an effusive review titled ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2 Is Darker Than Its Predecessor. And That Makes It Better’: the critique praises “a film that dares to face the twilight of an industry without succumbing to easy melancholy.” The Associated Press calls it a film “still in style,” even if “the story is a bit too well-dressed.” /Film, more measured, describes “a charming but unrevolutionary sequel.” The Rotten Tomatoes score stands, as of this writing, at 78% “Fresh” out of 142 published reviews. On the audience side, initial midnight screenings filled 91% of theaters in the United States; in France, exhibitors have already announced 380,000 pre-reservations for the weekend.
Streep’s Performance, Yet Again
Meryl Streep, 76, delivers a more subdued but no less impactful Miranda Priestly. Where the first installment relied on the cold cruelty of an editorial diva, the second explores fear—fear of disappearance, fear of betrayal, fear of no longer being relevant. One scene, already viral on TikTok since its trailer release, shows Miranda in an elevator whispering to Andy: “We don’t print anymore, my dear. We project.” Critics unanimously praise the performance: Variety calls it “a masterclass in four acts”; The Hollywood Reporter speaks of “a new milestone in Streep’s unparalleled career.” American bookmakers already place the actress as the favorite for a 22nd Oscar nomination, in the Best Supporting Actress category.
Anne Hathaway, Twenty Years Later
Anne Hathaway, at 43, imbues the character of Andy Sachs with a maturity the first film could not offer. Where Andy was an idealistic recent graduate trapped by glamour, the 2026 Andy is a mother of two, divorced, who has made her professional choices and owns them—while acknowledging their personal cost. The fashion press (Vogue UK, Harper's Bazaar) particularly praises the dialogue in the central scene, at a MoMA reception, where the two women finally confront each other about what they have become, thanks to each other. The cinematography is by Florian Ballhaus, a frequent collaborator of Frankel’s; the costumes, by Patricia Field, who returns as head costume designer after twenty years away from the project—a significant event in itself within the industry.
Editorial Opinion
To our eyes, ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ is a textbook example of a successful sequel. Three elements make the difference. Firstly, the film avoids the pitfall of mechanical fan service: it doesn’t just rehash cult lines, it transcends them—the famous “cerulean speech” from 2006 finds a poignant echo in a scene where a young assistant is interviewed in 2026. Secondly, the film takes its sociological subject seriously: the announced death of print is not a pretext but genuine dramatic material, treated with the seriousness of a documentary and the lightness of a comedy. Thirdly, Aline Brosh McKenna’s writing confirms her position as one of the great American screenwriters of adult dramedy, in the vein of Nora Ephron. Our conviction: this film will overperform at the box office (we predict $95 million for the opening global weekend), could offer Streep her ninth Oscar, and, more broadly, pave the way for a new cycle of “adult” sequels thirty years after the golden age of New York comedies. An absolute must-see, in theaters, on the big screen, and with a non-fat latte in hand.
Key Takeaways
- Worldwide release on May 1, 2026, distributed by 20th Century Studios (Disney).
- Director: David Frankel; Screenplay: Aline Brosh McKenna.
- Cast: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Justin Theroux, Kenneth Branagh.
- Opening Rotten Tomatoes score: 78% Fresh on 142 reviews.
- Central theme: Miranda Priestly facing the decline of print media.
