The Devil Wears Prada 2: Box-Office Outlook, Production Details, and Critical Reception

Disney’s 20th Century Studios released *The Devil Wears Prada 2* on May 1 2026 in the United States and Canada. The film opened in 4,100–4,150 theaters, including 1,000 premium large-format screens, 100 ScreenX venues, and 200+ D-Box/Motion locations. Industry trackers projected a domestic opening of $73 million–$80 million, with some analysts extending the range to $90 million–$100 million. Internationally, the sequel was expected to generate roughly $100 million, putting the worldwide weekend total between $175 million and $190 million. Pre-sale data showed $20 million in U.S./Canada tickets sold before release, outpacing comparable launches such as Amazon MGM’s *Project Hail Mary* and *Dune: Part Two*.

Deadline Hollywood

The sequel reunites director David Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna with the original cast: Meryl Streep (Miranda Priestly), Anne Hathaway (Andy Sachs), Emily Blunt (Emily), and Stanley Tucci (Nigel Kipling). New additions include Kenneth Branagh as Miranda’s husband, Patrick Brammall as Andy’s love interest, Justin Theroux as Benji, Lucy Liu as Sasha Barnes, and Simone Ashley as assistant Amari. Anna Wintour appears in a cameo with the tagline “When Miranda met Anna…”. The production budget was reported at $100 million, roughly double the $40 million cost of the 2006 original; marketing expenses were not disclosed. Promotional partners span L’Oréal, Dior, Mercedes-Benz, and Diet Coke, and a new single “Runway” by Lady Gaga and Doechie has amassed 3.1 million YouTube views.

The Guardian

Andy Sachs returns to Runway as features editor after a mass layoff at a left-leaning paper. Runway confronts a “digital, downloadable, streamable” transformation and a scandal involving a fashion partner’s cheap-labour sweatshop. Publisher Irv Ravitz’s death passes control to his son Jay (B.J. Novak), who initiates asset-stripping, delaying Miranda’s promotion to Global Head of Content. Andy teams with former rival Emily (now Dior’s head) to secure a new owner amid a Milan Fashion Week showdown, highlighting media consolidation, corporate ethics, and the “enshittification” of legacy journalism.

Deadline Hollywood

• Production budget: $100 million (excluding marketing).

Variety Magazine

• Domestic opening forecast: $73–$80 million (some estimates $90–$100 million).

Variety Magazine

• International opening forecast: ? $100 million.

Variety Magazine

• Total worldwide opening estimate: $175–$190 million.

Variety Magazine

• Theater count: ? 4,150 U.S./Canada venues; 1,000 premium formats.

Deadline Hollywood

• Pre-sale revenue: $20 million (U.S./Canada).

Variety Magazine

Disney’s distribution chief highlighted the sequel as “a strategic investment that leverages a cultural touchstone to drive global box-office momentum.” Anna Wintour, featured on the *Vogue* cover with Streep, said she “embraced the association and is thrilled to see the story evolve for a new generation.” Hathaway noted that “things that used to feel so safe now feel so unstable,” reflecting the film’s commentary on today’s media landscape.

Variety Magazine

The *Guardian* described the romance as “dull” and the cameo strategy as “over-loaded,” while *Deadline* argued the narrative “lacks a coherent story” and that “the film miscalculates the value of industry cameos.” *Variety* acknowledged strong performances but labeled the sequel “narratively flatter” than its predecessor, citing a “flimsy material” foundation.

Variety Magazine

• “Gird your loins!” — Stanley Tucci, as Nigel Kipling.

Variety Magazine

• “Things that used to feel so safe now feel so unstable” — Anne Hathaway.

New York Times

• “Digital, downloadable, streamable,” — Nigel Kipling.

Deadline Hollywood

• “You are such a … fffffavourite,” — Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep).

Variety Magazine

• “Boy, I love working,” — Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep).

Variety Magazine

Box-office projections vary between $73 million and $100 million for the domestic opening, and theater counts differ by 50 screens. No official figure for the worldwide marketing budget has been released, leaving total cost estimates incomplete.

Variety Magazine

Analysts expect a 50 %-55 % drop for the second weekend, projecting $45 million–$50 million domestically, while the film benefits from a Mother’s Day weekend. Ongoing promotions include the “Runway” music video and cross-brand activations with L’Oréal and Mercedes-Benz, positioning the sequel for sustained audience engagement beyond its opening weekend.

Deadline Hollywood