Audiences Will Love Take 2 of
The Devil Wears Prada
It’s rare for a sequel to come close to the original—but The Devil Wears Prada 2 pulls it off with a sweep of couture precision.
At the sold out Adelaide premiere, the verdict by 350 fashion lovers and film fans felt clear – overwhelming approval. So reading a modest three-and-a-half-star review by a national film critic in our local paper the next morning felt… ungenerous. Even chatting with seasoned editor and journo Anna Vlach afterwards, we landed comfortably at four stars – and here’s why.
If you’re reviewing a film steeped in fashion and contemporary culture, you need to understand that world. This isn’t a movie for action-lovers. It never was. So sending a bloke to review a movie about fashion is the wrong fit. The audience I sat with (overwhelmingly women, and deeply engaged) got it instantly.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is sharp, fast-paced, funny and self-aware, touching on digital publishing and the modern fashion landscape without losing its edge or entertainment value.
You’ll need your wits (and your fashion radar) switched on. This film is packed with cameos. Blink and you’ll miss a name… you could make a drinking game out of swigging every time you spot another celebrity.
From flawless makeup to statement jewels and razor-sharp styling, every frame is dripping in NOW. It’s 90 minutes of cinema that doubles as a perfectly dressed time capsule of 2026.
Beautifully filmed, from intimate close-ups of the central characters to rapid-fire couture name-drops and sweeping views of Milan, New York and Lake Como, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is as much a visual feast as it is a snapshot of the moment.
COCKTAIL REVOLUTIONARIES will clock the sequel’s glow-up on diversity. Miranda Priestley’s new assistant is Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley—sharp, stylish, and confidently in control. Lucy Liu pops up too, along with a broader, less monochrome cast.
Andy’s Gen Z assistant, played by Helen J Shen, might stir debate about whether her character is portrayed as just another Asian stereotype, or is she simply peak tech-brained Gen Z? I have to admit, I felt a slight squirm of discomfort as I watched her scenes.
But then there’s the story line. No need for a spoiler alert here. We’re not giving anything away.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 picks up years after Andy Sachs walked away from Runway. She is older, sharper, and firmly established in a very different corner of the media world. Her career has evolved with the times, pulling her into the fast-moving, digital-first landscape where influence is measured in clicks as much as credibility.
Meanwhile, Miranda Priestly remains exactly where you’d expect: at the top. But the industry beneath her is shifting. Print is under pressure, attention spans are shrinking, and a new generation is rewriting the rules of fashion media. To stay ahead, Miranda is forced to engage with voices and platforms she once dismissed, bringing in fresh talent, including a new assistant who is as culturally fluent as she is ambitious.
Their paths cross again, not in the wide-eyed, fish-out-of-water way of the first film, but as two professionals navigating a landscape that’s more complex and more ruthless than ever. The tension this time isn’t about survival; it’s about relevance, reinvention, and the cost of staying powerful in an industry that doesn’t sit still. With all the runway scenes and cameos, we are offered glimpses into how style, identity, and influence intersect in a hyper-connected world.
There’s literally heaps of fashion, a wonderful spectacle, exciting runway moments and international settings. Devil 2 has all the glamour you would imagine in the world of fashion and it’s intoxicating pace. But more than this, the movie leans into ambition, loyalty and the price of success. There’s a more human dimension to the main characters this time, bringing a touch of pathos and reality that was lacking in the first.
Ultimately, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is all about keeping up, lest risk being overtaken.
Anna Vlach has written a review of the fashion trends from Devil Wears Prada 2. Sadly we can’t reprint it, and head’s up, it’s behind a paywall, but Anna’s excellent piece is a must read!
