Did We Really Need a The Devil Wears Prada Sequel?

The Devil Wears Prada 2 brings back the archetypal 2000s romantic-comedy twenty years later, with the original cast facing new obstacles. Andrea “Andy” Sachs (Anne Hathaway) has just been laid off from her job and is miraculously offered the role of Features Editor at Manhattan’s favourite fashion magazine - Runway. Under the ever-frightening Editor in Chief, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), along with Nigel (Stanley Tucci) and Emily (Emily Blunt), the four reunite to once again uncover the harsh realities of fashion.

The first film told the story when the industry was in its prime. In the second, that’s no longer the case. Instead we see the characters struggle to stay afloat when the future of Runway is threatened.

Franchises have historically been an integral part of film culture. Think about the Star Wars collection (1977-2026) of 13 films as well as several television adaptations, Freakier Friday (2025) returning after 22 years, or Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) comeback from his 1988 classic. When there is an escalating trend in manufacturing nostalgia, do sequels help an audience revisit a world they’re emotionally attached to or do they ruin a cherished memory?

Failed sequels can often harm the image of an entire franchise rather than help its success. Mean Girls (2024) met mixed reviews leaving some fans disappointed with the marginally weaker follow up to the cult favourite. The upcoming HBO Max television series Harry Potter set to be released in December later this year, has already faced a worldwide boycott and overall negative response. It’ll undoubtedly cast a shadow over the legacy created by the original films. All before the show has even aired.

Even if we’ve formed a special connection with them decades ago, it doesn’t mean we need a continuation of these worlds and characters. The entire appeal rests upon the fact that we watched them at a specific moment in time. We don’t need or want to keep being fed new versions of the same story.

Although most were wary of seeing The Devil Wears Prada in theatres again, this is one of the few sequels to prove it had a clear reason to return. Through budget cuts, correcting Miranda on politically incorrect language, and creatives scrambling to find a way to sustain their livelihoods, it catapults itself into 2026 in a genuine way.

It’s a revaluation of an industry that was celebrated twenty years ago, but is now taken for granted. Shining a spotlight on a media landscape that no longer holds traditional print media as a beacon for all things taste and culture. David Frankel’s continued direction means that the same visual aesthetic and trendy, 2000s influences are there, this time with something different to say. A different story to tell that speaks to both old and new fans.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is the exception and not the rule however, because there seems to be a gross misunderstanding in Hollywood, that they can repeatedly manufacture these moments. A burgeoning mentality that if a film was successful, a sequel will be equally if not more successful. While commercial success is naturally important, are we forgetting a time where cinema held more substance and artistry?

It’s not just a creative drought in the industry that leads to this, but a means of survival. Directors aren’t as willing to gamble on original concepts anymore. Sequels bear lower risk of failing and are easier to churn out because they rely on the same source material and storyline. They even entice audiences back into theatres rather than streaming online. That isn’t to say that original films don’t perform well financially, but sequels are more promising with an already established fanbase to support them.

On the other hand, strategies like these are simply not sustainable. There are only so many films that are popular enough that they can be purged of every ounce of creativity left in them in order to be repackaged. At some point Hollywood needs to take the initiative to invest in its writers for the sake of their future.

Sequels don’t need to be abandoned altogether though. The Devil Wears Prada proves that they can be made meaningful. As long as they have something unique to contribute to their genre and wider film culture as a whole, they serve a purpose. The industry needs to focus less on nostalgia and more on devotion to new ideas. Mindless continuations with no real direction will only alienate audiences to franchises that were once loved. Sometimes a story can end without needing to be revisited, and although we find comfort in the past, we also need to look towards the future.