The sequel looks right—but something feels different
New York (United States), April 14: You know that rare feeling when a movie just sits with you for years—sometimes not because of the story, but because of that one person on screen? For me, that’s always been Miranda Priestly.
The first time I watched The Devil Wears Prada, I remember thinking, how can someone be this intimidating without ever raising her voice? No yelling, no theatrics—just a quietly controlled tone, a pause, and suddenly everyone’s on edge. That’s all, Meryl Streep. She took Miranda and made her believable—almost too believable—so real she got under your skin.
So now, hearing about a sequel stirs something in a lot of people. There’s excitement, sure, but also a weird edge to it this time.
Let’s talk about why.
When the buzz started around The Devil Wears Prada 2, everyone jumped on the hype train. Then there was that Dolce & Gabbana show—Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci, back in those roles like they’d never left. For a split second, it was magic again.
Then they posed with Anna Wintour.
Something about that moment just made things different. For years, people always whispered that Miranda was really Anna Wintour. Nobody ever said it out loud, but the secret made the character sharper, almost dangerous.
Now, suddenly, there’s no distance. They’re right there together, all smiles, and honestly, it felt like watching a magician pull back the curtain. You lose a little mystique. Not a bad thing, exactly—but not the same, either.
The original movie worked because Miranda never tried to be friendly; she never asked you to like her. She didn’t care at all. If you wanted to survive, that was on you. Somehow, that felt more honest.
Now, with talk of the sequel, everything seems… safer. There are warm interviews, a nostalgia glow, the sense that everyone wants the film to be embraced. The old movie didn’t care about that. It felt kind of ruthless, in a way—even about the fashion world it showed. Back then, it felt like the filmmakers were a step outside looking in, ready to poke fun. This time, the industry’s not just in on the joke; it wants a front row seat. Top designers, big labels, everyone lining up to be featured.
I get it. It’s a huge spotlight. But when everyone’s welcome, who’s left to stir things up? To be a little unsettling, the way Miranda used to be?
That smoothness, the polish—it makes me wonder if some of the grit is gone. The stuff that stung. The things people still remember.
I’m not saying the sequel can’t be just as good. I hope it surprises everyone.
But I want that same feeling: when Miranda enters, and the whole room stops. That tension. The need to pull yourself together. If we lose that, even a bit, the world just doesn’t feel the same.
Divya Agarwal
