Photosensitivity Warning: As much of the film deals with fashion, there are press in attendance at various points of the film which results in quite a few flashing cameras. Scenes like these are also used in the supplemental materials of the home release. Take appropriate precautions before viewing.
Legacy sequels carry an extraordinary burden. In addition to answering the question of “who is the film for?,” the sequel must also answer “why now?” and “can it hold up against the original?.” Sometimes sequels use the past to expand on what was (TRON: Legacy), as a springboard for a new direction (Scream (2023)), or to view the tale with a modern perspective (Evil Dead). Director David Frankel’s The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026), now available on home video, manages to do all three. With the script by returning screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna (21 Dresses), Frankel uses Prada 2 not merely to check-in with the characters audiences fell for 20 years ago, but to opine on the crumbling landscape of media through budget cuts and consolidation as well as the importance of art on culture regardless of one’s financial position. Carried by compelling performances that make one quickly fall back into this fictional world, The Devil Wears Prada 2 manages to recapture its magic by not trying to weave an old spell, but to meet the moment where it exists.
In the time since Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) left Runway, she’s become the journalist she hoped she be traveling the world and writing about the stories that matter. While at an awards celebration for their work, however, she and her colleagues at The New York Vanguard are fired via text, the latest victims of corporate budget cuts. Meanwhile, across town, Runway Editor-in-Chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) is dealing with pressure from company owner Irv Ravitz (Tibor Feldman), press, and the general public for an editorial failure that gave a sweatshop undeserved credence. Seeking to course-correct public perception, Irv hires Andy as the new Features Editor, placing her back in the hallowed halls of Runway and her idealism back at odds with the fierce Miranda.
The following home release review is based on a 4K UHD digital code provided by 20th Century Studios. As this is a digital release review, there will be no discussion of the technical aspects (re: bitrate) as there’s no way for us to currently check that via an Apple TV or MoviesAnywhere digital stream.
On July 6th, the Monday after the July 4th, 2026, holiday weekend, Microsoft announced a layoff of 4,800 employees and the release of four of its gaming studios which are going independent. This is not the first major layoff in the gaming industry or in any other for 2026, only one of the latest. Very rarely do the CEOs or members of upper management receive a pay-cut when such events happen; rather, the belts get tightened by the people doing the actual work that creates the cash flow to keep Microsoft in the black. Some layoffs have occurred due to the push by Microsoft, Apple, Google, and others toward A.I., a product that consumers have not asked for and are repeatedly being told (a) is inevitable and (b) is a service we must pay the bill for. And, yet, despite trying to replace humans with machines, despite reducing staff to cover costs, consumers are receiving worse products due to a variety of reduced layers of ethical protections, including at the editorial level, such as recently with Marie Claire. While this might not seem like a direct correlation to The Devil Wears Prada 2, a character-driven dramedy set in the world of a fictional fashion magazine, McKenna’s script utilizes the budgetary cuts by business owners as the catalyst for Andy’s sudden joblessness, Miranda’s need for someone new to manage Features, and for the film’s “villain” to reveal themselves. (Despite the suggestion of three events, these are actually two different events, though both involve the Ravitz family.) In the same way that Andy was at a point of transition in the first film (recent Northwest grad working as a junior personal assistant), her being summarily fired and it being done while at an event where she wins an award for her work signals another point of transition. This time, her working at Runway is a means to regain some sense of financial stability and, as a side benefit, hire some of her colleagues. There’s an unexpected poignancy within the film as Andy’s motivations throughout are not just about reproving herself to Miranda, the titular “Devil,” but providing for herself after building a career that just got ripped out from underneath her. Runaway was a stepping stone for Andy before and it’s a life raft now. It safety speaks to her own, as much as Runway comes to be yet another presumed pillar of society (like the Fourth Estate) which is being scrapped for parts, allowing only a shell of itself to crawl on until shuttered for good.
The only real reason that audiences care about the fate of Runway is because of the characters and their relationships to each other. It’s a fictional company with no actual bearing on real world events, yet, its departure threatens many things, the first of which is the destruction of Nigel’s career. It’s not that Miranda isn’t someone we worry for, Streep has managed to turn what could be a caricature in lesser-hands into a character with dimension and for whom we, the audience, understand why people seek her respect. Miranda is a force, not just because she’s Editor-in-Chief, but because she can back up her positions with experience and knowledge, swirling everything together in a way that the average person cannot conceive. That she appears to be on her back foot in Prada 2 merely gives Streep more to work with, though the actor never plays Miranda as anything but strong except for an allowable moment with Miranda’s husband Stuart (played with gentle hilarity by Kenneth Branagh). No, it’s Stanley Tucci’s Nigel, a character among a litany of performances he’ll be remembered for (that any single actor would kill to have just one), whether it’s Undercover Blues (1993), Lucky Number Slevin (2006), or Easy A (2010), who steals the film from his co-stars through a grounding performance that highlights Nigel’s significance as the heart of both films. He’s the softness that Miranda lacks for the staff of Runway, doing more than just taking Andy under his wing in the first film, but providing the means to uplift those around him by helping to shape them into the best possible version of themselves — just like the clothes they highlight. The arc his character takes through this film is no surprise insomuch as it’s obvious, yet it’s structured in such a way that we still find ourselves astonished. It’s a choice that reveals just how much of Prada 2 is about these characters and their relationships, not the spectacle of fashion or even the high drama of cruel boss, terrified subordinates, and possible revenge. Hathaway is, as always, brilliant as she conveys the very real feelings of doubt that come from working with someone you respect yet don’t quite feel confident enough to serve; a necessary absence of hubris that not only demonstrates Andy’s continued groundedness but a strong counter-point for Miranda’s seeming “above it all” attitude. Likewise, Emily Blunt’s Emily, now working for Dior, side-steps the sensation of being shoehorned into the narrative through a new vocation that still aligns with the character’s ideals. Blunt, for her part, conveys that same sense that no matter how old we are, the things that matter to us in our youth will continue to matter as we age, even if we tell ourselves differently. These core four, even surrounded by new talent, make up the reason why we sit forward when any of them are on screen and why audiences wanted another story for so long.
Considering the beloved nature of the original film, it’s a little odd that the bonus features are three brief featurettes, a Lady Gaga/Doechii music video, gag reel, and audio commentary track. At the very least, one would think that the featurettes would be longer than five minutes (on average). The first, the five-and-a-half minute “Level Up: Updating the Icons,” does a comparison of the characters from then to now with the cast and crew that focuses on their character trajectories and, of course, their clothes. The second featurette, the nearly-six-minute “Inside the Fashion Closet,” focuses on costume designer Molly Rogers, who had previously served under original Prada costume designer Patricia Field, and her approach to the various looks featured throughout the film, including some previously unseen Dior pieces. The final featurette, the four-minute “Front-Row Access: Shooting in Italy,” shifts the discussion from New York to the Italy sequences, specifically the Runway-hosted show/concert. Viewers interested in the technical process of how they constructed the stage to make shooting it like a concert will find quite a bit of enjoyable material to consider. The music video is, as one expects, the full music video. The gag reel is an absolute delight as it’s clear this cast not only had a great time working on this, but that they picked right up where they left off. So much of what makes these films work is the chemistry amid the cast/characters, and the gag reel solidifies that notion as these consummate professionals get wacky with their various mistakes, missteps, or malfunctions. The place to get the majority of your behind-the-scenes knowledge will come from the feature-length audio commentary from Frankel, McKenna, and Rogers, who are allowed, for the duration of the film, to talk about any and everything related to the making of the film.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 surprises not just because it’s a delightful revisit with characters we enjoyed undertaking a challenge that’s at once high stakes personally and low stakes over all, but because it draws so much from what’s going on the real world to the point that, by borrowing the tension of the real world, audiences begin pulling for the characters harder than they might otherwise. This may seem strange for outside of things, but it’s important to remember that while fashion is the world in which these films take place, the films aren’t actually about fashion but the relationships of those the story centers. By not forgetting this, by putting characters before high drama, The Devil Wears Prada 2 ends up surprising us with each new narrative turn without ever losing us whenever it seems to go a little too goofy (Justin Theroux’s Benji Barnes) or too corporate drama (B.J. Novak’s Jay Ravitz). Instead, by maintaining its focus on character, each line about the significance of humans to create, to research, to design, to draw, to divine art from the ether, resounds like a condemnation of corporate greed and consolidation that’s only bolstered a society of consumption, not creation. Where articles which were once intended to push personal perspective or to inspire imagination are reduced to the pejorative “content” as consumption is the metric that matters now. Where the written word, a piece of art, a video, or song is no longer meant to be digested and absorbed, but to be gorged on thoughtlessly while moving on to the next thing. While more or deeper supplemental features would be nice, at the very least, that 20th Century Studios is providing a home release at all (and on physical formats, too) is at least something when other films are still waiting their turn.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 Special Features*:
- Level Up: Updating the Icons: Join the cast, crew, and other notables as they look back on the iconic first film and its timelessness. Then see how the characters and their wardrobes have evolved for the sequel, and follow the shoot in New York. (5:35)
- Inside the Fashion Closet: Sit down with the cast, filmmakers, and lead costume designer Molly Rogers as she talks about dressing Miranda, Andy, Emily, and Nigel. Discover their of-the-moment but timeless fashion looks that shine a spotlight on each of their personalities. (5:58)
- Front-Row Access: Shooting in Italy: Join the cast, crew, and director David Frankel as he talks about the production in Italy and shooting during Milan’s fashion week. Hear how top design houses supported the production and how Runway’s own fashion show and concert was created. (4:08)
- “Runway” Music Video by Lady Gaga and Doechii (3:01)
- Gag Reel; Check out the fun on set in these outtakes from the making of the movie. (3:43)
- Audio Commentary by director David Frankel, writer Aline Brosh McKenna, and costume designer Molly Rogers (1:59:00)
* Bonus features may vary by product and retailer. Only available on Digital and Physical.
Available on digital June 30th, 2026.
Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray July 28th, 2026.
Available on Disney+ July 29th, 2026.
For more information, head to the official 20th Century Studios The Devil Wears Prada 2 webpage.
Final Score: 4 out of 5.
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Categories: Films To Watch, Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews, streaming
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