When the trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2 debuted in early February, longtime fans quickly recognized the familiar faces — seemingly untouched by more than 20 years. But while the characters look the same, their world has changed, and that shift is fueling interest. Rather than a pure nostalgia trip, the new film positions itself as a contemporary update.
Fashion and media no longer run the same way they did in 2006. Print magazines fight for survival while influencers set trends and algorithms decide relevance. The trailer, which racked up hundreds of millions of views within a day, signals that audiences are ready to see how Miranda, Andy, Emily and Nigel navigate this new landscape.
Meryl Streep returns as Miranda Priestly, editor-in-chief of the once-dominant Runway, reentering an industry where clicks often trump curated authority. Miranda appears intent on defending the old order — uncompromising and disdainful — even as traditional magazines decline. Her former assistant Emily is now CEO of a luxury conglomerate controlling the advertising budgets Miranda needs, setting up a power struggle that echoes the sharp-witted commentary of the original. Anne Hathaway’s Andy has evolved into a polished, self-assured figure whom Miranda barely recognizes, while Stanley Tucci’s Nigel again serves as the film’s moral compass. The trailer keeps plot details close but suggests a tougher, more political tone.
The cultural backdrop has shifted since the first film, too. The #MeToo movement exposed abuses of power and made audiences less comfortable celebrating leaders whose behavior would once be dismissed as eccentric. Companies now treat compliance and diversity as core values, and poor leadership risks far greater consequences than reputational damage alone. At the same time, women in leadership still face contradictory expectations — criticized as too harsh or too soft — and continue to confront harassment and hate speech, especially online. The sequel has an opportunity to reframe its female characters and explore how female power is portrayed now, beyond two-decade-old caricatures.
More than a nostalgia sequel, the film reunites its original cast and revisits iconic locations, looks and dialogue while introducing new characters and cameos from the fashion world. The soundtrack bridges past and present, with Madonna’s “Vogue” featured in the trailer. Ultimately, the movie seems to aim for a mix of fan service and pointed industry satire, returning one of the defining film characters of the 21st century and probing how fashion, power and media continue to evolve.
This article was translated from German.