We’ve made The Devil Wears Prada such an iconic cult feature that it’s almost easy to forget how bittersweet it is. The way that the credits roll with a flicker of hope while still leaving us wanting a bit more. It’s not until I recently rewatched it that I realized just how significant a sequel feels, and why it matters today in 2026, as opposed to ten or even five years ago. The concept of the right time and place continues to be a universal truth that The Devil Wears Prada 2 brings to life so beautifully that it’s impossible not to feel a deep connection to it.
In 2006, when the first movie came out, I was a freshman in high school, unsure of what I’d do with my life, battling anxiety I didn’t know teenagers could experience, and realizing that outside of writing, there were few things I was good at or even loved. I wasn’t thinking of the future per se, but I’d wondered what it’d be like to be an adult working for a questionable boss in a demanding industry. It’d take many more years for me to understand that I could take my love of film and TV as well as English literature and marry them in the dream job that little ‘ol me would never think we were brave enough to pursue.
It’s been a long, achingly harrowing journey, and once I thought I’d finally made it—the big dreams becoming a reality beyond my wildest imaginations, AI hit the market, and everything began to crumble. Slowly and then all at once. Things weren’t easy before it, but they certainly weren’t what they are now, and every journalist could tell you the same story. We’re tired, fighting burnout, and hanging by the flimsiest thread in existence. Those of us who love this job and believe in doing things with integrity aren’t adapting—we’re in a perpetual state of combat, refusing to accept that the future is void of organic human creations. You’ll hear me say the words, “I quit,” before you’ll ever catch me using AI in any capacity. I’d rather fall behind, leave and never be heard from again, than contribute to the destruction of our environment while stealing content from other creators.
But, Gissane, we’re here to read a review. Why are you talking about your job? Because I didn’t expect The Devil Wears Prada 2 to be such a quietly vehement love letter to journalism. I didn’t expect it to fire on all cylinders about the significance of preservation and the complexities of humanity, where our passions are concerned. I went in imagining that I’d be affected by it because of my current headspace, but I wasn’t expecting to sit through the entire movie, wiping away silent tears the entire time. My journey might be small and insignificant to some, but I am part of something bigger—we all are.
Because while entertainment journalism isn’t breaking news, art, films, culture, and fashion matter. Features matter. Editorials matter. Opinions matter. They’re a map of our humanity and experiences. They’ve always mattered. Just as I still hold on to the moments when I worked in fashion customer service and could see a person light up as soon as they found a perfectly fitting pair of jeans, I feel that same excitement every time someone says they’ve loved a piece of fiction with their whole hearts. The tender moments when we connect with other people through our shared love for something. How a movie like Project Hail Mary made everyone feel a little lighter earlier this year, or how a show like Ted Lasso has healed fragments of our hearts during the COVID-19 pandemic and onward. Entertainment is a reflection of our joy, however ephemeral these days, and it matters. They’re part of our existence.
Part of what made me fall in love with movies in the first place was that they have the ability to immerse me in experiences that aren’t my own. They could evoke something enlightening, sad, angry, happy, hopeful, or everything all at once. A fantasy world with pirates and princesses. A love story between two lonely hearts in Chicago during the holiday season. A space saga in a galaxy far, far away. Stories to connect us to humanity and enhance our empathy. That’s the part of the industry and craft I fell hard for, wanting to continue existing in a space where stories bring us together.
And now more than ever, a story about the struggles of journalism matters. In every way that it’s concerned, from its opening sequence to the last, The Devil Wears Prada 2 paints an accurate portrait of how dire circumstances in our industry are. The way clicks are prioritized over quality content, ad revenue, SEO driven content, algorithms, downsizing, etc. The fact that so many of us are pushed aside as members of the press, and influencers are prioritized solely because of their follower counts. How enormously frustrating it is that a single quote can go viral in the form of screenshots, but won’t translate to clicks, and therefore, equates to “failure.” It’s the constant reminder that when it comes to restructuring, the writers are always the first to go. And it’s the glaring depiction that, still, women are perceived as inferior to men.
And yes, we might not be ready for this conversation, but it’s one that’s imperative to have. Because the entertainment industry is just as cruel as finance or corporate jobs that are primarily run by men. Countless women can vouch for the fact that we are tirelessly undermined compared to our male colleagues, and whether we have higher qualifications than them or not does not matter in the slightest. They could break embargoes, be crude to talent, unkind, demanding, and yet rarely do they even get a slap on the wrist. And while this isn’t to say that there aren’t numerous men who are also treated poorly in this industry, the proportions cannot compare. We are, unfortunately, disposal to too many people uptop, and that’s a heartbreaking reality that no amount of social media uproar seems to change.
And when these big corporations are concerned, the words we write aren’t relevant unless there’s a glorious pull quote, and that was one of the first things I thought of while outlining this review. Because I do mean when I say that The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a worthy and glowing sequel. I mean it when I say it’s better than my wildest expectations. It’s the absolute truth to say that the performances are impeccable and the narrative is timely and excellent. It’s an instant classic, without a shadow of a doubt, but these incredible qualities aren’t why it’ll stay with me.
It’s the bravery involved in taking a movie that’s decades in the making and addressing the perils that are haunting our authentic creations. Because there have been a number of celebrities who’ve come out in support of AI and all that it’s doing, so the push to showcase that corporate buyouts aren’t the way of preserving artistry is indeed the heartfelt choice. It’s the film’s choice also to remind us that though the Roman Empire fell, the cathedrals, monuments, and works of art are still and will perpetually be relevant because they’re a reminder of our humanity—our endurance as a species to create and leave something behind that someone somewhere could find comfort in.
Our humanity is entwined with our creations, and our empathy strengthens when we allow ourselves to feel for the experiences that are not close to ours. If the first movie is an account of how a person can lose themselves in a job, then the sequel is a quiet examination of how it’s important to hold onto everything we love. Meryl Streep can infuse even the most heartless of characters with heart, but the layers she adds to Miranda Priestly are inimitable in The Devil Wears Prada 2. Raw and honest and legitimately heartbreaking. Admirable, in every way, especially in the sequel, as we see the full scope of her humanity displayed through quiet moments where it’s clear how fervently she admires Runway.
Every moment we get between Andy, Nigel, Emily, and Miranda isn’t just earned for the sake of nostalgia or fan service, but for the recognition that these are the characters who’ve fought to keep Runway alive. Anne Hathaway delivers my favorite performance, and Emily Blunt is as sensational as ever. Stanley Tucci’s inimitable range is somehow even more remarkable. It’s a glowing showcase of their blood, sweat, and tears, tangled with betrayals, cruelty, and vulnerable conversations. The layers in The Devil Wears Prada 2 make it an excellent, deeply relevant narrative—and new faces like our forever favorite Simone Ashley are a treat I’ll never be over.
While the first movie has some pacing issues, the sequel makes up for it with a swiftness that’s exceptional. New York City remains its own character in the background, and the opening sequence to Dua Lipa’s “End of an Era” is as perfect a needle drop as KT Tunsell’s “Suddenly I See.”
In every way, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a love letter to preservation, integrity, and passion. It’s a worthy, staggering sequel that’s healing and hopeful. It’s a reminder that when it comes to art, writing, and journalism, nothing will ever be more grand than the authenticity that leaps straight out of our hearts and onto the page as our means to hold on to the profound feelings awakened in us. And feelings like this always remind of the last chapter in Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch where it’s written: “And I add my own love to the history of people who have loved beautiful things, and looked out for them, and pulled them from the fire, and sought them when they were lost, and tried to preserve them and save them while passing them along literally from hand to hand, singing out brilliantly from the wreck of time to the next generation of lovers, and the next.”
If nothing else, I hope that the new generation of people falling in love with this sequel walk away from it emboldened to never lose sight of the spark that’s waiting to torch in them. If they’re aspiring journalists, I hope they keep fighting despite the cards stacked against them right at this moment. I hope they see the value in our endurance as the people who want to scream about the things we love from rooftops. I hope they’re wrapped in hope, determined to open their hearts despite the heartache that’s lurking in every corner. And I hope the people who’ve lost themselves with this job find their way back to a place where they’re fully satisfied with the work again. Whether it’s fashion, journalism, art, storytelling, retail, or accounting, I hope that the person you were in 2006 is proud of how hard you’ve fought today.
First Featured Image Credit: ©20th Century Studios