Audiences Are Obsessed With Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly in ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ and the Numbers Show It

‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ has officially hit theaters, and audiences are expressing their excitement loudly. With a Popcornmeter score of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, fans are calling the sequel a delightful throwback that captures nostalgia while remaining relevant two decades later. The consensus from moviegoers is clear, and Rotten Tomatoes confirmed via social media that Miranda Priestly is as delightfully ruthless as ever.

Two decades after their iconic performances as Miranda, Andy, Emily, and Nigel, Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci return to the stylish streets of New York City and the offices of Runway Magazine in this highly anticipated sequel from 20th Century Studios. The narrative picks up with Andy now serving as a features editor at Runway, drawn back into Miranda’s world as the team races to save the struggling print publication in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

The sequel is actually outperforming its predecessor among audiences, as the original 2006 film garnered a 76% audience score compared to the new film’s impressive showing, a notable 12-point increase that reflects genuine enthusiasm rather than mere nostalgia. Critics have also embraced the film, which earned an “A-” CinemaScore and a 4.5 out of 5 on PostTrak, metrics that bode well for its continued success throughout May and beyond.

The box office figures are equally impressive. While the original opened to $27.5 million in the summer of 2006, ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ nearly tripled that with a $77 million domestic debut, marking one of the best openings ever for a female-led film.

International audiences also flocked to theaters, contributing $156.6 million from 51 territories, resulting in a massive $233.6 million global opening weekend, with Italy leading overseas markets at $16.6 million.

The excitement stems from more than just franchise loyalty. When the main cast sat down with Jenna Bush Hager for TODAY ahead of the release, Hathaway shared that the script finally felt deserving, stating that writer Aline Brosh McKenna “found something new and more to say with these characters” beyond merely catering to fans. This instinct appears to have paid off significantly.

Critics have noted that the film “succeeds where many legacy sequels stumble” by establishing a genuine reason to exist beyond nostalgia, addressing the declining state of print journalism and the impact of AI on creative industries.

Audience reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. One viewer described the experience as “like a warm hug,” while another called it a “wonderfully mature sequel that deserves its place on the pedestal,” with many reviewers already expressing hopes for a third installment.

The film’s emotional depth resonates as much as its fashion-forward appeal, which is precisely what the returning creative team aimed for. Director David Frankel and writer Aline Brosh McKenna both return from the original, joined by new cast members including Simone Ashley, Kenneth Branagh, Justin Theroux, Lucy Liu, and Patrick Brammall.

For Streep, the response feels like a full-circle victory. Her icy, commanding Miranda Priestly remains one of cinema’s most quoted and imitated characters, and audiences in 2026 seem just as captivated by her piercing glances and sharp remarks as they were two decades ago.

Whether this film will lead to a third installment remains uncertain, but for now, ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ has shown that this is all anyone needed to hear. Share your thoughts in the comments about whether you believe Miranda Priestly deserves another sequel.