Disney’s 20th Century Studios has revitalised the domestic box office as The Devil Wears Prada 2 debuted to a better-than-expected $77 million over the weekend, per variety.com.
The sequel to the 2006 cult classic added a further $156.6 million from international markets, bringing its total global opening to $233.6 million. This performance significantly outpaces the original film’s $27.5 million domestic launch and is the fourth-highest opening of the year.
The production carried a $100 million price tag, more than double the budget of its predecessor. Director David Frankel noted that the increased investment was primarily allocated to securing the returning core cast. Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci all reprised their roles two decades after the first film became a cultural phenomenon.
Despite receiving mixed critical reviews, the sequel earned an “A-” CinemaScore from opening audiences. The narrative follows Hathaway’s Andy Sachs in her new role as a features editor, once again navigating the exacting demands of editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly. Analysts attribute the commercial success to long-standing nostalgia and the rare enduring appeal of the dramedy genre.
With $233.6 million already grossed, the film is on track to surpass the original’s lifetime earnings of $326 million within weeks. Its success dominated a weekend otherwise quiet for new major releases, allowing several high-profile holdovers to maintain strong positions in the charts.
Lionsgate’s Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, took second place with $54 million in its second weekend, bringing its global total to $423 million. Universal’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie followed in third, crossing the $900 million mark worldwide after a $12.1 million weekend. The sci-fi epic Project Hail Mary remained resilient at number four, reaching a global cumulative total of $638.4 million.
The original The Devil Wears Prada, based on Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel, remains a significant touchstone in pop culture. Its sequel arrives amidst a broader trend of “legacy sequels” designed to capture multi-generational audiences through the return of original star power and iconic IP.
•Featured image by ©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection
