Twenty years later: The Devil Still Wears Prada

The first time I watched The Devil Wears Prada, I was eight, and my sister and I were waiting for my mom to finish work. Fast forward twenty years, my sister, my mom, and I are maneuvering through a packed AMC to watch Devil Wears Prada 2. The movie, which was originally modeled after the best-selling book by the same name and written by Anna Wintour's assistant, has inspired generations of women to do whatever it takes be as successful as possible. This article will work as a breakdown exploring why The Devil Wears Prada is such an iconic film, and why you have to see the second one.

The film's main character, Andy Sachs, played by Anne Hathaway, chases her dreams – in couture outfits no less – and gets them. Every girl's dream. The 2006 film is set in NYC and describes the cutthroat industry of successful women.

Oh, and fashion.

In a male-dominated publishing industry, Miranda Priestly is the Editor-in-Chief of the fashion magazine, Runway. Andy Sachs comes in as a new assistant, eager to work in the publishing industry. There are many iconic Miranda Priestly lines from the original film, some that display how sharp-tongued women can be, while others speak on a much deeper level to the creative industry and the dedication it takes to survive.

While on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon Anne Hathaway on describes that originally, the idea of making a sequel seemed impossible because they could not recreate the original film. "The world is so different," but she was excited about the possibility of "talking about all of the stuff that we had been going through." I began to understand this after watching Andy Sachs brought to tears in the pursuit of advocating for journalism.

Without spoiling the entire sequel, Devil Wears Prada 2 is a modern, non-cancellable take on the fashion industry and the 2000's culture. Hathaway is right, the world isn't the same, and that is shown in the way that Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep, is coached by her assistant. The film, which was written by Aline Brosh McKenna, has comedic moments that detail what it's like to be a boss in 2026. Miranda Priestly was the queen of making horrendous quips to her staff, but in the second film, we see that McKenna has noted this societal change and added it to the script.

Whether these changes are successful or not is left up to you. The romantic aspects of film, the plots that just couldn't exist in real time, or the comments your parents make "that could never be said today" definitely were not as present in the rebrand of the film. There is a weird comfort in knowing the screen is an untouchable script with blurred boundaries. With that being said, I can't imagine the pressures that must have surrounded McKenna as she crafted this highly anticipated movie.

The second film's marketing was phenomenal to begin with, which set up the trailer to be the most viewed trailer in 20th Century Studios' history. The 60-second trailer "was viewed 181.5 million times in its first 24 hours online." The packed theatre was a testament to what I already knew: the devil had inevitably walked back on screen. The movie, a sequel to the original film from 2006, was released on May 1, twenty years later. Since 2026 is the year of doing the most, this film seemed especially adequate. In a shocking first reveal, Sachs is a documentary-style journalist who is winning an award for her recent pieces at the publication she has been working for. Before her speech, as every soon-to-be-journalist has been warned about, she gets let go from her publication because they are closing. In the current climate of journalism, where jobs are hard to come by and opportunities are limited, this scene felt like a social commentary. This was the first moment that the film seemed to feel different from its original parent film.

I will say that Dior sales should skyrocket after this film, as the wardrobe of Emily Charlton, played by Emily Blunt, is elegant and edgy. Dressed in Dior headscarves and tuxedo-inspired corsets, the original assistant has now taken a new role on her own. Charlton works in fashion sales, for now, and dresses the part. The wardrobe of the 2006 film was filled with iconic pieces from brands like Chanel, Fendi, and Dolce & Gabbana. Including two custom pieces that were made specifically for the film. But no tears were shed in the first film, I reminded myself as I sobbed when Nigel, played by Stanley Tucci, finally gets his flowers.

The Devil Wears Prada, and its sequel, will always be iconic. Not just for aspiring creatives, writers, and designers, but for everyone. For the Nigels' and the Emilys. For the writers and the editors. While a lot has changed on screen for Andy Sachs, the love for The Devil Wears Prada has only grown.