Content warning: spoilers
The original movie The Devil Wears Prada was released in 2006. But nowadays its not uncommon for sequels to take years to film. Twenty years later, The Devil Wears Prada 2 was released May 1, and it was immediately clear that the sequel was only produced to make money.
Due in part to nostalgia and the popularity of the first movie, the sequel is able to highlight how much the fashion industry has changed over the last 2 decades. Many generations of fans were eager to view the sequel.
One week after production the film has already surpassed the profits collected by the original movie earning $300 million according to Variety.
Interestingly, Emily Blunt bargained to get paid the same wage as Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep despite having less screen time. I think its good that these women knew their worth- the movie really wouldn’t be the same without them.
Iconic Actors
Main characters Meryl Streep as Miranda and Anne Hathaway as Andy star in the sequel where the new plot revolves around the declining interest of the public in “glossy” fashion magazines.
Nigel, played by Stanley Tucci, feels that journalism may be able to save the reputation of the company. Hence, he hires Andy who is now an award winning journalist after she is publicly fired to be the new head of their features department. Andy and Nigel work together to reshape the companies reputation after a prior scandal involving fast fashion taints the magazines image.
Actress Emily Blunt returns as a secret but misunderstood antagonist who is always catching your attention with her Dior wardrobe. We discover that Miranda got Emily a job at Dior fifteen years ago to get her out of the way. This tension reaches a climax at the end of the movie as Emily’s fiance (patron as she calls him), tries to buy the entire company and replace Miranda as head CEO.
Tiffany & Co.
Benji (Justin Theroux) buys an expensive Tiffany and Co. necklace for Emily in a scene shot inside the Tiffany & Co. store in Milan.
Emily looks effortlessly elegant which was the intent of the movie’s costumer designer as the blue stone contrasts with her red hair. (Emily randomly dyes her hair blonde at the end of the movie but I reckon the necklace would still match). It contains a blue stone which is a 31 carat aquamarine and more than 58 carats of diamonds!
Less Bright and Colourful, More Dull and Saturated
When you compare stills from the sequel to the original movie, there is a slight noticeable difference. The original film became iconic for its rich aesthetic style featuring warm lighting, bold wardrobes and glamorous magazine inspired visuals. But movies from the early 2000’s are generally more bright and colourful. Often times older cameras produce a slightly “grainy” camera quality that makes movies feel more cosy.
Contrastingly, the sequel arguably contained more muted colour palettes, darker lighting and saturated tones. This is to prioritise realism and better quality cameras can achieve this.
But I personally felt like the movie’s visuals were very vivid. Colourful close up shots inside the Dior building were anything but dull. We even had a Lady Gaga performance encompassed into the plot, and she has a notoriously eccentric wardrobe.
Poorly Written Sequels Always Suck
Generally speaking, most people prefer original movies to their sequels. The original Devil Wears Prada still gets quoted twenty years later. So what was the general consensus from this sequel?
Andy’s character was introduced as somewhat of a hyper independent woman with a successful career in journalism. We learn that she has frozen her eggs and is looking for the right man.
The writers then decide to introduce a love interest out of the blue played by Patrick Brammell who she has very little chemistry with. Some fans felt like the character reminded them of celebrities they disliked (Ricky Gervais). He was so insignificant that I don’t even remember his name. If you removed him from the plot entirely, it wouldn’t effect the direction of the movie at all. Does this subplot imply that women need a man to feel happy or is it the happy ending Andy has been waiting for? Women can have it all.
Although, it was a long movie so the writers did need filler scenes. Movies were commonly 2 hours long in the early 2000’s. But after sitting through the adverts and the 2 hour sequel, I can imagine there were a lot of stiff legs and sore bottoms in the cinema. Most people left their seat at least once during the movie when I was there.
Despite this, I feel I was quite engaged with the plot. With the exception of the love interest subplot, it does make sense that the fashion industry would be struggling financially due to the changing economy.
It’s always fascinating to see how the upper one per cent live with their sea view homes and dedication to maintaining their status. Miranda herself struggles to readjust when she is downgraded to economy flights that only serve snack boxes instead of champagne.
Miranda’s HR Department
Whether intentional or not, current day political correctness and workplace decorum can be humorous to compare to twenty years ago. Throwing her coat at her “Emily” assistant was Miranda’s thing. But Miranda’s HR department now force Miranda to remove her own coat.
Google Pixel Product Placement
From flip phones to google pixels, fashion isn’t the only industry changing. Miranda is filmed with her google pixel phone several times. Product placements like this can help fund movies but often at the risk of ruining the fantasy element.
Every time I watch Amazon Prime I get an advert for google pixel phones featuring Nigel and Simone Asley (Bridgerton) who plays Miranda’s assistant. They use the AI feature to scan fabrics so it can scour the internet for the ideal outfit to wear to an event. You are encouraged to use Google Pixel’s AI mode to find the perfect outfit to wear to the cinema.
Diet Coke X Devil Wears Prada
It’s easy to assume that big companies wanted to profit from the movie. Diet coke have deigned limited edition novelty packaging that helps promote the movie.
Andy is also filmed drinking a diet coke in the cafeteria during the movie. This product placement happens when Miranda made an appearance, to her horror, in the cafeteria. It’s easily overlooked by many but it feels forced and unnatural to me. Does this subliminally signal to the audience to buy a diet coke?
Technically, diet coke is on theme with the original movie’s focus on diet culture where Emily Blunt famously quotes “It’s a new diet I’m on. I eat nothing all day then when I feel like I’m about to faint, I eat a cube of cheese.”
Tangle Teezer hair brushes have also released limited edition red brushes in a regular and handbag version size. Again, I feel like this is on theme with the movie as people from the fashion world always have perfectly styled hair.
My Opinion
I liked it. I enjoy comparing the sequel to the first movie in my head and seeing the future of the characters twenty years later. The actors really gave it their all and played into the nostalgia element for many fans during the recreation of some scenes. For example, the classic elevator scene where Miranda and Andy are stood next to each other in silence felt like it was paying homage to the original movie scene.
However, I do feel like the movie was made entirely just to make money. Especially with all the brand sponsorships, it’s clear that movie sequels for popular franchises have a larger focus on audience engagement over the quality of the script. I don’t think there are any mentionable quotes from the sequel either.
Would I rewatch the movie? Yes, absolutely. I feel that its perfect for background noise as a movie that you don’t really need to pay much attention to. It follows up nicely from the original. Also, its easily understandable and visually aesthetic, (as long as you’re watching it at night time or with your brightness all the way up).
Do I prefer the first movie? Yes, absolutely. It has a certain charm to it that the sequel fails to reproduce.
Featured image credit: 20th century studios
Fourth Year English and Journalism Student
