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It has been 18 years since The Devil Wears Prada was released, which gave us the deliciously icy Miranda Priestly, perfectly played by three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep. The movie was a hit in 2006, with $326.7 million in the worldwide box office and an Academy Award nomination for Streep as best actress.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film's scriptwriter Aline Brosh McKenna is writing a sequel. It's also being developed and produced by Wendy Finerman, who also served in the original movie.
Is there going to be a The Devil Wears Prada sequel?
A follow-up to the film has long been discussed. Its stars Streep, Emily Blunt and Anne Hathaway even played up their roles when they reunited on stage at this year's SAG Awards. Streep was there to announce the winner for best actor in a comedy series. The actress had forgotten both the envelope and her eyeglasses. Enter Blunt (who had the envelope) and Hathaway (who had the glasses). Before Streep could announce the nominees, both Hathaway and Blunt jokingly quoted their movie boss' lines in the film.
Blunt said that Streep herself and the character Miranda Priestly were like twins, to which Streep objected. However, Hathaway interjected, “No, it wasn't a question.”
When a seemingly flustered Streep tried to open the envelope, Blunt said, “By all means move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.”
The 2006 movie was based on Lauren Weisberger's 2003 novel of the same name. It followed the story of Andy (Hathaway), a recent journalism graduate who ends up landing one of the most sought after jobs in the publishing industry: as assistant to Runway magazine's editor-in-chief, Miranda Priestly. Andy tries to navigate the world of high fashion with the sometimes-help and oftentimes-hindrance of the other assistant, Emily (Blunt).
Priestly is said to be the fictionalized version of Vogue editor Anna Wintour. The author worked as a writer and editor for the same magazine.
Puck was the first to report the news of a sequel being developed. The website also discussed possible plots such as Priestly still the chief at Runway but with the magazine facing financial difficulties, it no longer holds the same stature as it once did. Emily is now an executive at a luxury brand which buys ad space with the magazine.
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When Hathaway was asked about the possibility of a sequel, she said she was doubtful it would happen.
“I don’t think a continuation of that story is probably ever gonna happen,” the Oscar winner told E!
The book HAS sequels…
Having both watched the movie and read the novel, I have a distinct preference for the film. It was one of the rare occasions where the adaptation surpassed the source material. Having said that, there are actually two sequels to the first book. The first was published in 2013, Revenge Wears Prada and the second in 2018, When Life Gives You Lululemons.
The first is set 10 years after the events of The Devil Wears Prada. Emily and Andy have now become friends and business partners in their high-end aspirational wedding magazine, The Plunge. The magazine becomes so successful that Miranda has offered to buy it from them. The book then deals with Andy's inability to let go of her anger against Miranda, and Emily just wanting to sell their magazine and move on.
I've read the book and I prefer the first. Andy, as a character in the book, didn't really stand out to me. It's a testament to both the film's writing and Hathaway's performance that I actually liked her in the movie. The Devil Wears Prada has always been the Devil's movie — and by that I mean Streep's Miranda. A close second is Blunt's Emily.
The third book, however, is much better than Revenge. Probably because it's Emily's story. At the end of the second book, she and Andy have a falling out. Emily is now an image consultant to A-list celebrities. She lands a high-profile client in supermodel Karolina Hartwell whose image she has to rehabilitate.
It's a much more fun book to read, with Emily's trademark snark and the actual revenge-filled scheme fueling Karolina. In my opinion, this would be the better book to adapt instead of the second one. Plus, Miranda makes a more substantial cameo in this where Emily gets to showcase her wit and resourcefulness to stand up to her former boss, while also making use of her connections.
I wouldn't mind watching Academy Award nominee Blunt take another stab at Emily and watch her go toe-to-toe with Streep's Miranda. Hathaway's going to be fine; in fact, by the time The Devil Wears Prada sequel gets greenlit, she might be on her way to Genovia herself.
