Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway will return as Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs in Disney and 20th Century Studios’ The Devil Wears Prada 2.
Disney | 20th Century Studios
disney It proved that sequels don’t need superheroes, explosive action-packed sequences, or blue-skinned aliens to be a box office success.
The studio released “The Devil Wears Prada 2” under the 20th Century Studios banner last weekend to raucous results. The film, a sequel to 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada, grossed approximately $77 million domestically in its opening weekend, making it the third-highest debut of the year. That’s nearly triple the $27.5 million the first film made in its opening weekend 20 years ago, according to ComScore data.
Internationally, The Devil Wears Prada 2 secured more than $150 million in box office revenue, with worldwide box office receipts reaching approximately $233 million in the first three days of its theatrical release. This total represents 72% of the money the original The Devil Wears Prada made in its entire theatrical run.
“Some things never go out of style,” Paul Dergarabedian, ComScore’s head of marketplace trends, told CNBC. “While it is difficult to predict whether audiences will embrace or reject a sequel to a beloved original, the creative, marketing and distribution teams at Disney’s 20th Century Studios have crafted a compelling hit film with appeal in the United States and around the world.”
Disney’s return to production on The Devil Wears Prada sequel comes at a time when Hollywood is increasingly relying on proven intellectual property. In fact, the 2026 calendar is packed with titles related to major franchises such as Star Wars, Marvel, DC Comics, Toy Story, Super Mario Bros., The Hunger Games, Scream, Scary Movie, Minions, Dune, and Jumanji.
A sequel to 1998’s “Practical Magic” is also scheduled for release in the fall.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 isn’t the typical blockbuster sequel that usually kicks off the summer movie season, but it does demonstrate audience enthusiasm for nostalgic IPs.
“Normally, the movies that start the weekend like this are what I like to call ‘cape’ movies,” Academy Award winner and producer of The Devil Wears Prada 2 Wendy Finnerman said on CNBC’s Fast Money on Monday.
She noted that the characters in the film wear different kinds of cloaks, adding that this is a story that “becomes more powerful when you take off the cloak.”
The film significantly increased attendance among female moviegoers, accounting for 76% of ticket sales. It also brought out an older moviegoer base. The majority of tickets (approximately 28%) were sold to people between the ages of 25 and 34, but the second-highest demographic was moviegoers aged 55 and older, who accounted for 22% of tickets sold.
“There was a group from Boston and 30 of my friends, women, went with them,” Finerman said. “…My family goes, my sisters go. And the other thing is, not just here but all over the world, people are dressing up. It’s become an event. They’re wearing red shoes, they’re wearing makeup, they’re looking like a different character, they’re saying certain lines.”
“So it became more than just going to the movies, it became an event,” she says.
Correction: This story has been corrected to reflect that Disney released The Devil Wears Prada 2 under the 20th Century Studios banner. Previous versions incorrectly listed the studio name.
