Episode 37 — The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026): Miranda Still Owns Oxygen | Fork Rating

Twenty years later, The Devil Wears Prada 2 returns to the runway — and somehow Miranda Priestley still walks into a room like she owns oxygen itself.

In this spoiler-free review, AJ breaks down whether The Devil Wears Prada 2 earns its return or simply survives on nostalgia. The episode explores the evolution of fashion media in the digital age, the return of the iconic cast, and why this sequel succeeds by allowing its characters to evolve rather than replaying the original film beat for beat.

Featuring discussion on:

• Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci returning to their iconic roles
• Fashion publishing versus influencer culture and algorithms
• Gorgeous cinematography and standout costume design
• Why the emotional maturity of the characters gives the sequel unexpected weight
• Whether legacy sequels can still have something meaningful to say

And yes… Miranda Priestley still has the ability to emotionally destroy someone with fewer than ten words.  

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Is this movie actually worth your time?

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Movies I Give a Fork About, the podcast where we don't use stars. Instead we use forks. Because not every movie deserves your time. And not every movie earns your emotion. But when one truly does, well, that's when you give a fork. I'm AJ, and today's movie is The Devil Wears Prada 2. Alright, 20 years later, and somehow Miranda Priestley still walks into a room like she owns Oxygen itself. I caught The Devil Wears Prada 2 in theaters on the opening weekend, and going in, my biggest question was honestly, does this story even need to be revisited? Because sequels, especially legacy sequels, can feel unnecessary. Sometimes they exist purely on nostalgia fumes. But this one, surprisingly thoughtful. And no, thankfully, this is not a simple continuation that pretends that no time has passed. The story exists in real time, two decades later, and the world has changed. Media has changed, fashion has changed, and these characters have changed with it. And the returning cast definitely understood the assignment. The incomparable Meryl Streep returns as Miranda Priestley with the same icy precision and razor-sharp delivery that made the character iconic in the first place. Annie Hathaway reprises Andy Sachs, and Emily Blunt steps right back into Emily's designer heels like no time has passed at all. And for me, Stanley Tucci as Nigel remains one of the emotional anchors of the franchise. And what I appreciated most was that this film had something to say. The sequel explores the collapse and evolution of traditional print media in a world dominated by digital attention spans, algorithms, influencers, and swipe culture. The original film from 20 years ago lived in the golden age of glossy fashion publishing. This film examines survival in an era where audiences decide within three to six seconds whether something matters. And for me, one of the most interesting things about revisiting these characters 20 plus years later is that the film quietly asks whether power and relevance age gracefully. Or whether industries simply move on without you. Miranda Priestley is still formidable, but the world around her has changed. And I actually found that tension more interesting than I expected. And I think one of the reasons the sequel works as well as it does is because the original creative team is also part of this formula. Director David Frankel and writer Aline Brosh McKenna both come back for this film. And you can definitely feel that continuity throughout. The characters still sound like themselves, just older, wiser, and navigating a completely different world. It never feels like a studio imitation trying to recreate iconic moments from the original film. This film feels connected emotionally and tonally in a way that many legacy sequels simply do not. And there's also a ton of really fun cameos throughout the film. I won't spoil any of them because these are spoiler-free reviews, but fashion fans and longtime fans of the original film are definitely going to have moments where they smile and immediately recognize just who walked into frame. And yes, Miranda Priestley still has the ability to absolutely destroy someone emotionally with fewer than 10 words. However, it's 20 years later, and Miranda's new number one assistant, played by Simone Ashley, known for her roles in Bridgerton and sex education, definitely keeps the diva more aware of what she can and cannot say to people the same way that she did 20 years earlier. A great reminder that time has moved on. Visually, this film is gorgeous, and the fashion does not disappoint. From the costumes, the styling, the fabrics, the textures, all of it is stunning. Every scene feels curated without becoming distracting. And of course, that's part of the appeal of the franchise. Fashion here isn't just clothing, it's storytelling. And the film, of course, makes a surprising strong argument that fashion is art, and like every art form, it either evolves with culture or risks becoming irrelevant. The cinematography here also deserves credit. The film looks polished, elegant, and expensive in the best possible way. I also like the continuity of relationships and friendships across the years. There's emotional maturity to the characters now, particularly Annie portraying Andy Sachs and her lifelong friend who is still running the gallery and very much connected. And this movie has allowed those characters to evolve rather than simply replaying the dynamics of the original. And thankfully, it's not a beat-for-beat remake pretending to be a sequel. Now, is the sequel as sharp and culturally seismic as the original? For me, no. The first film captured lightning in a bottle. It became iconic because it perfectly represented ambition, image, power, and sacrifice at a very specific moment in culture. And there are memorable, repeatable phrases that if you utter them, and if you know you know, why is no one ready? Or hideous skirt convention, to name a few, that made the first film so memorable. The sequel feels softer and more reflective. At times for me, the pacing's a little slow in the middle, and some emotional arcs could have been explored more deeply. And there are moments where the film plays things a bit safe instead of going for a sharper emotional edge. And while the commentary on digital media is interesting, it occasionally feels more observational than deeply insightful. That being said, I don't think this film was trying to change or reinvent itself. It was trying to revisit these characters honestly in a changed world, and for the most part, it very much succeeds. If you love the original for the fashion, the wit, the atmosphere, and Miranda Priestley's terrifyingly calm power, the sequel delivers enough of that energy to make the return definitely worthwhile. It's stylish, smart, funny in places, and surprisingly reflective in others. And most importantly, it respects the legacy of the original film without simply copying it. For me, the sequel succeeds because it understands the difference between nostalgia and evolution. It respects the original film without becoming trapped by it. This is really a fun and worthwhile watch in the theater. Largely because this is one of those movies that genuinely benefits from the theater experience. The scale of the fashion, the soundtrack, and the visual detail really deserve the big screen treatment. And for me, by the end of the film, I realized this wasn't really a movie about fashion magazines at all. It was about reinvention, professionally, creatively, and personally, and whether we can evolve without losing ourselves in the process. So my fork rating for The Devil Wears Prada 2 is three and a half forks, a stylish, entertaining sequel that understands both its characters and the world they now exist in. Proving that some stories are worth revisiting when they have something new to say. And that's today's fork. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show, share it with someone who also gives a fork about movies. Until next time, watch boldly, judge honestly, and never be afraid to give a fork.