Fans have eagerly anticipated the continuation for years, and the long gap between the two films has caused an uproar of excitement. Many were excited to catch a glimpse of Anne Hathaway in Manhattan filming the sequel in early 2025.

To fuel anticipation, celebrities made guest star appearances in the new film, including YouTube star Kennedy Walsh and fashion designers Marc Jacobs and Donatella Versace. Additionally, events were held all over the city, with the most prominent being held at Union Square from April 27 to May 3.

Lines at Union Square wrapped around the entire block. Copies of “Runway” magazine, the fictional magazine featured in the films, were given out every 30 minutes, while those in line waited for the vending machine booth.

After reaching the front, the booth would play a quote from the first movie before dispensing a mystery gift. Some attendees were lucky enough to receive branded travel mirrors with LED lights or branded hairbrushes, while others received products such as TRESemmé hairspray or L’Oréal Paris mascara.

Additionally, the event featured a photo-op with the iconic red, three-pronged heel from the film’s promotional art. One attendee who visited the event on April 26 said Emily Blunt made an appearance the previous day due to an expo taking place nearby. However, those who attended during the first few days of the event saw the real advantage of the event: receiving better merchandise before stock had run out.

“The Devil Wears Prada 2” follows Andy Sachs, played by Hathaway, who is now a journalist. The film opens with Andy receiving a major journalism award, but upon achieving the award, she and her current team, whom she has a family connection with, all get fired.

Simultaneously, her former boss, fashion mogul and editor-in-chief of ”Runway” magazine Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep, is facing backlash for a controversial article she published.

Miranda is also dealing with the newly-found hardships in the fashion world due to modern technological advances, such as the magazine switching from print to online exclusively.

To solve both problems, Andy is rehired at her former job at Runway, this time as the head editor of the features column instead of as an assistant. Together, Andy and Miranda work to restore Runway to its former glory.

Complications arise when the head of Runway magazine’s parent company, Irv Ravitz, suddenly dies and his son takes over the business. Throughout all this chaos and turmoil, Nigel Kipling, played by Stanely Tucci, stays loyal as Miranda’s trusted right-hand man and the magazine’s arts director.

 Meanwhile, Emily Charlton, played by Emily Blunt, is now a senior executive at Dior, contrasting her devotion to Miranda Priestly in the first movie. Her sharp tongue is still prominent in her persona and demeanor. She ended up where she wanted, in a significant place in the fashion world.

This newfound confidence ultimately leads Emily to attempt a scheme to take over Runway as revenge for years of being under Miranda’s control. However, her plan ultimately fails due to Andy and Miranda. Despite the betrayal, Emily also fulfilled a secret desire she harbored by the end of the movie: forming a genuine friendship with Andy.

By the end of the film, the fate of Runway magazine is saved and Andy and Miranda develop a deeper, more collaborative relationship built on mutual respect and equality.

The resolution between Andy and Miranda melds the plotlines of both movies in a satisfying and expectant ending.

Despite this, Miranda seemed to have a softer tone and more somber demeanor in the movie. Many viewers agree with Metro Times calling her a “hushed cadence,” though she takes a lot of her staff, especially Nigel, for granted, giving him less than his worth at times.

Andy helps Miranda show her appreciation and trust to Nigel by giving him the keynote speech and trusting him to represent Runway.

As the two-hour movie plays in theaters, the long-awaited sequel succeeds at continuing where the last movie ended, avoiding the mistake that many sequels do. Rotten Tomatoes described the sequel as a fun, nostalgic and stylish return.

“The Devil Wears Prada 2” deserves a place on everyone’s watchlist this year, not simply because of its celebrity cast and glamorous fashion icons, but because the sequel successfully builds upon the film’s established and much-loved legacy while introducing new and meaningful development to its story and characters.