Back to Runway, Not the Same World
It’s been nearly two decades since we last stepped into Runway, and The Devil Wears Prada 2 wastes no time showing how much has changed. Miranda Priestly, still played to perfection by Meryl Streep, remains the force she always was, but the world around her is shifting fast. Print is struggling, clicks matter more than carefully curated pages, and even someone like Miranda is having to justify her place in it all.
That tension drives the story. After a damaging scandal and declining influence, Runway needs a serious creative reset, and somehow that leads back to Andy Sachs. Anne Hathaway returns with a version of Andy who has moved on, built a career, found her voice, and yet is pulled back into this world when her own job disappears overnight. It’s a slightly neat setup, but it works, mainly because it gets these characters back in the same room again, and that’s where the film is at its best.
The Cast Slip Straight Back Into It
What really sells this is how effortless it all feels from the cast. Meryl Streep barely needs to raise her voice or deliver a cutting line to remind you exactly who Miranda is. She remains completely controlled and quietly intimidating, commanding every room she enters with barely a glance, even as the industry around her starts to change. Anne Hathaway brings a more grounded energy this time. Andy is no longer the overwhelmed assistant, she knows what she’s doing, and that confidence gives her dynamic with Miranda a fresh edge without losing what made her work in the first place.
Emily Blunt gets some of the film’s best moments as Emily, now a Dior executive and very much enjoying being the one with power in the room. Her scenes opposite Miranda are especially fun, with Blunt relishing every icy put-down and perfectly timed flex. Stanley Tucci is just as wonderful as Nigel, bringing his familiar dry warmth and effortless style back to Runway, with a later moment of recognition that feels genuinely earned.
Big Names, Bigger Energy
The film opens things up beyond the core group, and for the most part, it works. Simone Ashley fits straight into the Runway machine as Amari, one of Miranda’s new assistants, while Lucy Liu brings mystery as a designer everyone wants access to but can’t quite reach. Justin Theroux is clearly enjoying himself as a tech billionaire with far too much influence, and while Kenneth Branagh doesn’t get much screen time as Miranda’s husband, he adds a softer note to her character that we haven’t really seen before.
There are plenty of cameos, and the film has fun with them without letting them take fully over. Between Donatella Versace, Law Roach, Heidi Klum and more, it knows exactly what kind of fashion-world fantasy audiences are returning for. Molly Rogers’ costumes help make it all look stunning too, with the film moving through The Hamptons, Lake Como and Milan in a way that feels glossy, playful and completely in tune with its own legacy.
Still About the Work, Even Now
What’s interesting is how much the film leans into the current, uncertain, rapidly shifting state of media. The original was about ambition, survival, and trying to prove yourself in a very specific kind of workplace. This time, the stakes feel different. It’s about relevance, who gets to have a voice, who gets seen, and what happens when the system you built your career in starts to disappear underneath you.
That is where the sequel feels surprisingly current. Print media is struggling, cultural institutions are losing power, and everyone is chasing clicks, metrics, and whatever will keep the lights on for another month. Andy is no longer the junior assistant trying to survive Miranda’s demands, she’s an award-winning journalist who still finds herself fighting for the value of the work. Her line, “Journalism still fucking matters!”, feels like one of the film’s clearest statements, and honestly, one of its most satisfying.
Runway is also in crisis, with Miranda forced to deal with scandals, budget cuts, advertisers pulling away, and an industry that no longer bends to her quite as easily. Andy tries to bring more substance back to the magazine, while Miranda has to think about the bigger picture in a way she never really had to before. The film doesn’t get too heavy with it, but it gives the story a sharper edge and makes the return to Runway feel more relevant than expected.
CultureCues Final Thoughts
The Devil Wears Prada 2 isn’t trying to recreate the original, and that’s probably why it works. It’s fun and glossy, the performances carry it beautifully, the humour lands, and there’s a real joy in being back with these characters again. It may not have quite the same bite as the first film, but I really loved it. There’s something nostalgic, genuinely satisfying and hugely enjoyable about catching up with people you haven’t seen in years and realising there’s still more to them, and more to the story. Oh, and the fashion is fabulous. That’s all.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is released in UK cinemas on 1 May 2026.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling, emerging voices and the cultural moments shaping modern entertainment.