Devil Wears Prada 2: AI, Billionaires & Miranda Priestly's New Era

Screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, who penned the original 2006 hit starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, is back with 'The Devil Wears Prada 2', which has opened to a strong box office response this weekend.

In a conversation during the film's opening, Brosh McKenna revealed how the sequel came together quickly despite being "20 years in the making," and whether the storyline was inspired by any real-life incident.

"We first met with Meryl in May of 2024," she said, adding, "The first draft went to the actors beginning of January '25," as quoted by Variety.

Describing the pace, she added, "It was a freight train. It was really fast."

While the original film balanced satire with a "fish-out-of-water" narrative, the sequel dives into a more complex reality. Brosh McKenna portrays a struggling publishing industry grappling with declining revenues and the threat of tech-driven acquisitions.

"Everyone's been turned upside down," she said, adding, "There were well-established ways to make money... that just don't exist anymore," as quoted by Variety.

In the film, fictional fashion magazine Runway faces a potential sale to a tech billionaire played by Justin Theroux, representing what the writer describes as a growing tension between creativity and profit.

"There's a certain nihilism that Justin's character represents," she explained, adding, "He just sees this giant wave coming in AI and thinks that we should submit to it," as quoted by Variety.

At the heart of the sequel is Miranda Priestly, whose authority is no longer absolute. Brosh McKenna said the character now faces "a big existential problem" as her once-unquestioned influence in fashion becomes increasingly fragmented.

"Miranda's once-secure place in the culture is really challenged," she noted, as quoted by Variety.

The dynamic between Miranda and Andy Sachs also shifts. Rather than the hierarchical tension of the first film, the sequel presents a more balanced professional relationship.

"Miranda still has venom, but she's punching across, not down," Brosh McKenna said, adding that the character remains driven by necessity rather than personal emotion. "None of it is personal for Miranda," she said.

The sequel also leans into the "attention economy" with numerous celebrity cameos, reflecting a world where fame is more fragmented than ever.

"There are so many more famous people than there used to be," Brosh McKenna observed, as quoted by Variety.

Among the standout appearances is Lady Gaga, cast against type in a deliberately unflattering role.

"I wrote this really mean scene and she was really excited about it," the writer revealed, adding, "We had a lot of fun making her not nice."

The film's storyline, which involves a powerful media brand facing acquisition by a billionaire, has drawn comparisons to real-life developments, including speculation around Jeff Bezos and the media industry. Brosh McKenna, however, dismissed any direct inspiration, as per Variety.

"We already had a script... when the rumours started happening," she said, adding, "It wasn't inspired by anything. But, we did say, 'Whoa,' when it happened."

Despite its heavier themes, the sequel retains the humour, glamour and nostalgia that defined the original.

The movie was released on May 1, 2026, in theatres.

- ANI