The Devil Wears Prada 2 was released in theaters this Mayday. Nearly 20 years ago, the original film became a fashion-movie phenomenon that is still applauded today. With Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Tracie Thoms, and Tibor Feldman returning for the sequel, the nostalgia of the fashion industry in New York City in the 90s is making a full comeback.
The original film was inspired by the 2003 best-selling fiction novel “The Devil Wears Prada” by Lauren Weisberger, and her time as an assistant to Anna Wintour at Vogue from 1999 to 2000. The book shared an insider’s perspective on Wintour and the fast-paced, demanding job of being the assistant to a powerful fashion magazine editor. Production of The Devil Wears Prada started before the book even hit the shelves. Although the film isn’t an identical comparison to Weisberger’s experience, it captured what it was like to work in fashion journalism in the 90s. Once the film hit theaters on June 30, 2006, many suddenly felt desperate to work in the fashion industry.
Two decades after Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) left her position as Miranda Priestly’s (Meryl Streep) assistant at Runway Magazine, she rejoins her to enhance the company’s tarnished reputation. Andy has made a name for herself as a mature journalist who experienced layoffs at New York Vanguard Newspaper, landing herself back in the orbit of Miranda. Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) is now a luxury group executive who holds advertising dollars that Miranda desperately needs. She now carries higher power above Miranda, marking a shocking shift in authority, but nonetheless, she still carries her sharpness, sense of sarcastic humour, fierce light, and friendly rivalry with Andy to her new role.
The original four are back, and they all stepped back into the characters they played ages ago, with ease. Although this time, Miranda makes a slightly less cold boss and more of a desperate, calm one on the surface. She’s secretly shaken by the decline of authentic fashion journalism and the effects it’s having on Runway. Miranda’s iconic line, “That’s all,” in her sullen tone, appears intentionally throughout her interactions with Andy, just as they did in the original. Nigel (Stanley Tucci) remains the heart of the magazine; he started as Andy’s mentor, and although years passed after she first left, he secretly was the reason she was able to come back, because his faith in her never left.
The fashion, aside from the acting, is arguably the most important element of this film. It showed through in the original, and it definitely hit the mark again. Molly Rogers, a former assistant to Patricia Field on the 2006 film, took on the role of lead costume designer this time. Each character’s wardrobe reflected styles from the 90s as well as newer looks from recent years. Iconic brands such as Prada, Chanel, Dior, Balenciaga, and Fendi were shown, and even Donatella Versace herself made a screen appearance.
The cinematography and production are also a step up. Production designer Jess Gonchor, who worked on the set of the original, shot scenes in real locations throughout New York City and Milan that studio backdrops simply can’t recreate. I was nervous that the “Netflix lighting” takeover was going to make its way into the movie, but it was the opposite. The videography of the old film is nothing but nostalgic, but as technology has advanced, the new filming’s color grading and lighting are truly fantastic.
The musical backbone of this film is all thanks to Theodore Shapiro, who composed the 2006 film’s soundtrack and came back to create a new version of it. The biggest musical addition to the sequel is Lady Gaga’s special performance; the movie contains three brand new songs: “Runway”, “Shape of a Woman”, and “Glamorous Life”. Beyond Lady Gaga, the list is stacked with current artists like Olivia Dean, Dua Lipa, SZA, and Miley Cyrus, who make the film not only a side-by-side to the original but an extension to the genre of music that was trending during that time.
Amid tons of spinoffs, remakes, and continuations of iconic films, The Devil Wears Prada 2 stands out as a rare, watch-worthy sequel. If you loved the original, this one is absolutely worth a trip to the movie theaters this spring.