Twenty years after the original *The Devil Wears Prada* cemented its status as a beloved modern cultural classic, the film’s iconic original cast gathered under the bright lights of Manhattan’s red carpet Monday night for the global premiere of the long-anticipated sequel, *The Devil Wears Prada 2*.
Oscar-winning leading lady Meryl Streep, who reprises her career-defining role as the sharp-tongued, intimidating Runway Magazine editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly, was joined by her original co-stars: Anne Hathaway, who returns as grown-up former assistant Andy Sachs; Emily Blunt, who reprises the iconic role of Miranda’s quick-witted former assistant Emily Charlton; and Stanley Tucci, who is back as art director Nigel Kipling.
When quizzed about the 20-year gap between the first installment and the sequel, Streep questioned the delay in an on-camera interview with Disney Plus, the streamer behind the project. Co-star Tucci echoed her sentiment, comparing stepping back into his familiar role to riding a bicycle — a skill that never truly fades with time.
The new film picks up years after the original story’s conclusion: a now professionally established Andy Sachs has returned to the iconic fashion publication Runway, where Miranda Priestly is grappling with the rapid decline of print media in the digital age. The veteran editor finds herself in a high-stakes professional showdown with her former assistant Emily, who has climbed the ranks to become a powerful media executive controlling the advertising budget Miranda desperately needs to keep her magazine afloat. The sequel also adds several notable new cast members, including Kenneth Branagh as Miranda’s latest husband, plus rising star Simone Ashley and veteran actor Lucy Liu in undisclosed roles.
True to the franchise’s fashion-focused roots, high-end couture took center stage at the premiere. Three-time Academy Award winner Streep turned heads in a bold red custom Givenchy ensemble, while Hathaway wore a design from Louis Vuitton and Blunt donned a creation from Schiaparelli. In a surprising philanthropic twist, Streep announced that every garment, piece of jewelry, handbag and shoe featured in the sequel will be auctioned off following the film’s release, with 100% of proceeds going to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Hathaway and Blunt both emphasized that the sequel would never have come to fruition without the enduring love of fans, who have kept the original film a staple of pop culture for two decades. “We’re literally here because of you, because you took us into your hearts and kept us there for 20 years and said ‘we want more.’ That’s why this whole dream has continued for us,” Hathaway told reporters.
Other notable A-listers in attendance on the red carpet included Anna Wintour, the former longtime editor-in-chief of *Vogue*, who has long been cited as the real-life inspiration for Streep’s iconic Miranda Priestly character.
*The Devil Wears Prada 2* is set to hit theaters worldwide on May 1. The 2006 original is widely regarded as one of the sharpest satires of the American fashion industry ever committed to film, celebrated for its nuanced exploration of power, ambition and the allure of high fashion that still resonates with audiences two decades later.