Lead: A brief teaser for The Devil Wears Prada 2 confirms Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway are back as Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs, delivering the first glimpse of their reunion. The footage, released by the studio, shows the two women crossing paths in an elevator and includes Miranda’s pointed line, “Took you long enough,” a wink at fans. The sequel shifts the action back to New York City and the Runway-like offices audiences remember, with David Frankel directing and Aline Brosh McKenna credited as screenwriter. The studio has set a theatrical release date for May 1, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- The teaser unveils Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) and Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) meeting in an elevator; the clip is the first official footage released from the sequel.
- Miranda’s line in the teaser — “Took you long enough” — nods to a long gap since the 2006 original and to fan anticipation.
- The film is directed by David Frankel and written by Aline Brosh McKenna; it is produced by Wendy Finerman with executive producers Michael Bederman, Karen Rosenfelt and McKenna.
- New cast members announced include Kenneth Branagh, Simone Ashley, Justin Theroux, Lucy Liu and Pauline Chalamet among others; Tracie Thoms and Tibor Feldman return as Lily and Irv.
- Sydney Sweeney was reportedly seen on set but her role has not been confirmed publicly.
- The original 2006 film was adapted from Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel; Weisberger also published a follow-up, Revenge Wears Prada, in 2013.
- The sequel will be released by 20th Century Studios on May 1, 2026, marking two decades since the original’s release year, 2006.
Background
The Devil Wears Prada became a cultural touchstone after its 2006 release, melding workplace comedy with a high-fashion setting and launching the profiles of its leads. Based on Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel, the film cast Anne Hathaway as an aspiring journalist who lands a job at a Vogue-like magazine under the iron-fisted editor Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep. The original’s mix of satirical fashion-world detail and star power produced durable fan interest and spawned lines and beats that entered pop culture.
Talk of a sequel has surfaced intermittently for years, with Weisberger releasing a follow-up novel in 2013 and industry conversations periodically revisiting the idea. Key creative figures from the original are involved this time: producer Wendy Finerman returns, Aline Brosh McKenna is credited for the screenplay, and David Frankel directs. The project’s assembled cast blends returning performers and new names, reflecting a production intent on honoring the first film’s legacy while introducing fresh characters and dynamics.
Main Event
The teaser is deliberately compact: the sole scene made public shows Miranda and Andy entering an elevator and exchanging a single, loaded line. That brief interaction establishes continuity with their past relationship — Miranda’s bluntness and Andy’s trajectory — while signaling that the characters’ dynamic remains central. Co-stars Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci, both reported to reprise their roles, are not visible in the released footage.
Production sources and the studio note the story returns to New York City and the magazine’s sleek offices, positioning the setting as a key element of the sequel’s world-building. The announced supporting cast spans established actors and rising names — Kenneth Branagh, Simone Ashley, Justin Theroux, Lucy Liu, Patrick Brammall, Caleb Hearon, Helen J. Shen, Pauline Chalamet, B.J. Novak and Conrad Ricamora — suggesting multiple new workplace storylines. Industry reporting also identifies Tracie Thoms and Tibor Feldman as reprising their original roles, reinforcing links to the first film’s ensemble.
Behind the camera, David Frankel — whose credits include contemporary comedy and workplace drama — directs with McKenna adapting the screenplay. 20th Century Studios is distributing the picture, and the production credits list both returning and new executive producers. The studio has announced a May 1, 2026 theatrical debut, positioning the film for the spring release calendar.
Analysis & Implications
The teaser’s brevity is a strategic choice: by offering a single evocative beat rather than plot exposition, the studio generates conversation and speculation without revealing story details. That approach amplifies fan anticipation, creates media momentum, and allows marketing to drip new reveals across months leading to the May 2026 release. For a property with an established fan base, teasing relationship dynamics may be more commercially effective than early plot disclosure.
From an industry perspective, reviving a mid-2000s property now reflects a broader trend of studios mining known IP for tentpole potential. The combination of original stars returning — particularly a figure like Meryl Streep — with a diverse new ensemble indicates a bid to appeal both to longtime fans and younger audiences. Financially, sequels to beloved films can reduce perceived risk for distributors, but success will still hinge on critical reception and how the screenplay balances nostalgia with fresh stakes.
Culturally, revisiting Runway-style magazine politics offers an opportunity to explore how fashion, media and workplace norms have shifted since 2006. Topics such as digital transformation in publishing, changing standards of leadership, and career trajectories for women in media could provide thematic depth. If handled thoughtfully, the sequel could update the original’s satire for today’s media landscape; if it relies solely on nostalgia, it may struggle to justify its return on artistic terms.
Comparison & Data
| Year | Film | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | The Devil Wears Prada (original) | 20 years to 2026 release year |
| 2026 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 (scheduled) |
While Miranda’s line in the teaser references a 19-year wait — a tongue-in-cheek nod to long-time fans — the production’s release year, 2026, falls two decades after the original’s 2006 debut. The table above frames that temporal gap. Sequels with long intervals can both leverage nostalgia and face higher expectations; comparable franchise returns show mixed outcomes depending on creative continuity and audience reception.
Reactions & Quotes
Industry and audience reaction to the teaser has been immediate and varied, with many responses focusing on the return of the two leads and the teasing tone of the clip. Observers note that the elevator moment re-centers the story on Miranda and Andy’s relationship, which dominated the original’s emotional arc.
“Took you long enough.”
Miranda Priestly (teaser line)
The line’s double meaning was widely picked up as both a character-consistent quip and a playful acknowledgement of the long gap between films. Social media commentary has largely framed the single line as a precise marketing beat that sparked speculation about how the sequel will balance continuity with new plotlines.
Anne Hathaway’s past remarks about a sequel have also reemerged in coverage, showing how perceptions shifted during development. In April 2024 Hathaway told a reporter she was skeptical a follow-up would materialize, signaling that the project’s progression may have involved late-stage decisions or renewed studio commitment.
“I wouldn’t hold out too much hope.”
Anne Hathaway (April 2024 interview)
That earlier skepticism has been contrasted with the reality of an imminent release, prompting commentary about changing industry conditions and the pull of franchise-making. Earlier still, Hathaway’s 2002 remarks to The View — that a sequel might not fit the original era — have been cited to illustrate how the cast’s public stance evolved over time.
“I don’t know if there can be [a sequel]. I just think that movie was in a different era, you know?”
Anne Hathaway (The View, 2002)
Those layered remarks provide context for how cast attitudes and public expectations transformed as the project moved from rumor to production to marketing.
Unconfirmed
- Sydney Sweeney’s presence on set has been reported visually, but her character and screen time have not been publicly confirmed by the studio.
- It is not yet confirmed whether the sequel adapts or draws substantial plot elements from Lauren Weisberger’s 2013 book Revenge Wears Prada.
- The extent of screen time for returning supporting actors Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci has not been revealed in promotional materials; their returns are reported but not shown in the teaser.
Bottom Line
The teaser for The Devil Wears Prada 2 accomplishes what short-form marketing is designed to do: confirm headline talent, reestablish tonal expectations, and provoke conversation without disclosing narrative specifics. With Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway reunited and a May 1, 2026 release date set, the film is positioned for sustained media attention and fan debate through the year leading to release.
How the sequel navigates contemporary themes and whether it offers substantive new stakes beyond nostalgia will determine its critical reception and commercial durability. For now, the elevator moment — and Miranda’s pointed line — functions as an effective opening gambit in a long promotional campaign.
Sources
- The Hollywood Reporter — entertainment news report with teaser details and production credits