‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Released — Audiences Give It a Mixed but Mostly Warm Reception
‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ hits cinemas today with Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway back in action. See what audiences are saying after the first screenings.
Nearly Two Decades Later, Runway is Back
When The Devil Wears Prada released in 2006, it did something rare — it transcended the genre of a workplace comedy and became a cultural phenomenon. Meryl Streep’s imperious Miranda Priestly and Anne Hathaway’s wide-eyed Andy Sachs became characters that people carried with them long after the credits rolled.
Now, nearly two decades later, The Devil Wears Prada 2 has arrived in cinemas worldwide on May 1, 2026. And true to the legacy of its predecessor, the film has immediately set social media ablaze — with opinions flying in from every direction.
The Verdict from First-Day Audiences — Neither a Masterpiece Nor a Disappointment
Viewers who caught the first screenings wasted no time sharing their thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), and the overall picture that emerges is a film that satisfies without quite dazzling.
One user summed it up candidly: “Watched The Devil Wears Prada 2 — it’s decent. Won’t call it iconic, but it’s better than the trailer made it look. Streep and Blunt hold it together. The rest has too much screaming and overacting, with some cameos thrown in to paper over the cracks. My rating — 6.5/10.”
It is a fair and measured take — and one that likely reflects the experience of a large portion of the audience.
Some Viewers Were Moved to Tears — “It Makes You Laugh and Cry”
Not everyone walked out with mixed feelings, though. For a significant number of viewers, the film delivered emotionally in ways they did not expect.
One enthusiastic fan wrote: “The Devil Wears Prada 2 is brilliant. The story gripped me completely. The character development is so well done that it gets genuinely emotional in several moments. Meryl Streep is outstanding. Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci are all excellent. This film will make you laugh and it will make you cry.”
Another viewer kept it short and decisive: “Everyone should watch this.”
From a critical standpoint, films that manage to simultaneously move audiences to laughter and tears tend to leave a lasting impression. By that measure, Prada 2 may have more staying power than its mixed early reviews suggest.
Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt Steal the Show — Again
If there is one point of near-universal agreement among early viewers, it is this: Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt are the heart of the film.
Nearly every review, positive or mixed, singles out the two actresses as the reason the film works as well as it does. Streep, who made Miranda Priestly one of cinema’s most unforgettable characters in the original, brings that same magnetic authority back to the role. Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, and Tracey Thoms also return from the first film — a reunion that provides genuine warmth and nostalgia for fans of the original.
A Galaxy of New Faces — From Lady Gaga to Lucy Liu
Alongside its returning cast, The Devil Wears Prada 2 has brought in a remarkable roster of new talent.
Kenneth Branagh, Patrick Brammall, Simone Ashley, Lucy Liu, BJ Novak, Justin Theroux, Lady Gaga, and Pauline Chalamet all make appearances in the film. Simone Ashley plays Miranda Priestly’s new assistant — a role that inevitably invites comparisons to Anne Hathaway’s Andy from the first film, and one that puts Ashley under considerable pressure to deliver.
The sheer volume of big names, however, has drawn some criticism. Several viewers felt that certain sections of the film leaned too heavily on cameos, disrupting the pacing and drawing attention away from the core story. It is a common pitfall for sequels with large ensemble casts, and Prada 2 does not entirely escape it.
Can Any Sequel Match the Original’s Legacy?
This is the question that hangs over every frame of The Devil Wears Prada 2, and it is perhaps the most difficult one to answer.
The original film did not just entertain — it defined an era. Its dialogue, its fashion, its characters, and its attitude became part of popular culture in a way that very few films manage. Asking any sequel to replicate that kind of impact is, frankly, an unfair standard.
What Prada 2 can be judged on is whether it stands on its own merits — and on that front, the early signs are reasonably encouraging. When Meryl Streep commands the screen, the film operates at a level that few contemporary comedies can match. When Emily Blunt is in the frame, there is wit, sharpness, and genuine chemistry that keeps the audience engaged.
If you loved the original and have been waiting two decades to return to that world — The Devil Wears Prada 2 will not leave you empty-handed. It may not be iconic. But it is entertaining, emotionally engaging, and carried by performances that remind you why these actresses are among the finest of their generation.
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