How 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' Filled Disney's 'Avengers'-Sized Sequel Gap After 18 Years

Some films transcend their era. They redefine pop culture, shape careers, and earn a reverence that makes sequels seem unthinkable. For 18 years, ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ occupied that space—a film so iconic that even its creators hesitated to revisit it.

“That’s a good word. No one has used that word, sacred,”

writer Aline Brosh McKenna told TheWrap.

This week, that untouchable status changes. ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ arrives in theaters, picking up two decades after the original’s 2006 release. The sequel reunites the core cast—Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, Emily Blunt as Emily Charlton, and Stanley Tucci—alongside the same director (David Frankel), writer (McKenna), and producer behind the original.

Why a Sequel Took Nearly Two Decades

The hesitation wasn’t for lack of demand. Fans had clamored for a follow-up almost immediately, but the team behind the film remained cautious. The original wasn’t just a hit—it was a phenomenon.

• Launched Emily Blunt’s career.
• Marked a turning point for Anne Hathaway.
• Reinforced Meryl Streep’s box office dominance.
• Was director David Frankel’s second feature film.
• Was writer Aline Brosh McKenna’s second screenplay.

On a $35 million budget, ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ grossed $326.6 million worldwide, outperforming its opening weekend competitor, ‘Superman Returns’. It became a cultural touchstone—so much so that McKenna reflects on how audiences consumed it differently than modern films.

“It became people’s like, ‘It’s on TV, I’ll watch it.’ And I have some of those, and it’s funny, because that is also a vestige, right? Because now we’re a lot more intentional with our watching, so I don’t know if you can become a hit in that way.”

Both McKenna and Frankel viewed the original as “lightning in a bottle”—a rare alchemy that made the right move simply to “let it be.”

How the Sequel Finally Happened

The turning point came when McKenna noticed how journalism, publishing, media, and fashion had evolved into a “Darwinian” landscape. The shift reignited her creative interest in the characters’ futures.

“So, I started nudging David,” she said. The duo then learned that Meryl Streep was open to hearing sequel ideas. From there, the process accelerated rapidly.

By McKenna’s account, she and Frankel met with Streep in May 2024. She delivered the script that December—just 10 days after completing the first draft.