The Devil Wears Prada 2 struts past sequel fatigue as the franchise joins the $1bn club
The Devil Wears Prada 2 struts past projections, hitting a rare global box-office milestone for fashion-focused franchises.
Well, Miranda did not come to play. Nearly 20 years after the original, The Devil Wears Prada 2 just pushed the franchise past $1 billion worldwide. Not the sequel alone, to be clear — the two movies combined — but still: that is an eye-popping number for a fashion-world dramedy that opened summer for Disney instead of a Marvel behemoth. And yes, the gamble paid off.
How we got here (quick and clean)
The new movie has banked $676 million globally so far on a $100 million budget — $217.9 million of that domestic, $458.1 million from overseas. Add the first film ’s lifetime $326.5 million, and the franchise cruises past the billion mark. This is the rare legacy sequel that actually brought back the right people: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci all returned, with David Frankel back in the director ’s chair. The story smartly updates the world too, planting Runway in the middle of a collapsing print media landscape. It is familiar, but a lot sharper than it needed to be.
'That is all.'
The opening was a statement. The sequel debuted to $233 million worldwide and $76.7 million domestic — both franchise records. Within nine days in the U.S., it had already topped the entire domestic run of the 2006 original. Globally, it is the fourth-highest MPA release of 2026 so far, and Disney currently holds three of the top six slots year-to-date. Not bad for a movie built on icy monologues and weaponized bangs.
- Global to date: $676M ($217.9M domestic, $458.1M international)
- Production budget: $100M
- Opening weekend: $233M worldwide, $76.7M domestic
- Top overseas markets: UK $45.8M; Germany $33.2M; Brazil $33.2M; Japan $ 31.9M
- Franchise total: $1B+ when combined with the original’s $326.5M
- 2026 standing: #4 MPA release YTD worldwide; Disney holds 3 of the top 6
Why this worked (and most sequels do not)
They did not try to reinvent the wheel — they restored it. Getting the core quartet back with Frankel gave the movie actual continuity, not a vibe copy. Setting the narrative in a print industry on life support gave it stakes beyond shoes and shade. Also, Disney made a very un-2026 move by opening summer with Runway instead of capes and lasers. That counter-programming swung big, and audiences showed up.
Where to watch it next
Right now, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is still a theatrical exclusive after its early May debut. Expect a premium video- on-demand window in late June or July. For subscribers, Disney+ and Hulu are the home base, with an arrival targeted for late August or early September. Netflix is not part of the plan — Disney routes its home releases to its own platforms.
The second life starts on streaming
The original has been a comfort rewatch for two decades, and this sequel has the same easy-replay DNA. Once it hits Disney+ and Hulu, you can bank on a lot of double-features — especially with Gen Z already clipping the sharpest moments across social. If nothing else, those numbers say the thing out loud: if you assemble a legacy sequel with the right cast, the right director, and a premise that actually evolved, you can still beat sequel fatigue. Paris, please hold.