The Devil Wears Prada 2 Opens To A Smash Success — But Is It Marketing Or Nostalgia Doing The Heavy Lifting?

BusinessHollywood & EntertainmentThe Devil Wears Prada 2 Opens To A Smash Success — But Is It Marketing Or Nostalgia Doing The Heavy Lifting?ByOlivia Shalhoup,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Olivia Shalhoup covers entertainment marketing and social strategy.Follow AuthorMay 07, 2026, 11:24am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 22: Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci and Meryl Streep attend "A Night With Runway" Photocall for "The Devil Wears Prada 2" at The National Gallery on April 22, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)Gareth Cattermole/Getty ImagesThe numbers are in, and they are, as Miranda Priestly herself might say, groundbreaking. The Devil Wears Prada 2 opened to an estimated $233.6 million worldwide in its opening weekend, including $77 million domestically and $156.6 million internationally — one of the strongest theatrical debuts of 2026. It is the first female-driven movie in modern history to kick off the summer box office, a title that has almost always gone to a Marvel superhero film. For an industry that has spent years debating whether legacy IP can carry a sequel, and whether female-skewing films can lead the summer, The Devil Wears Prada 2 just answered both questions with a resounding and very chic yes.But here is the question worth asking: how much of this belongs to nostalgia, and how much belongs to an exceptional marketing campaign that refused to let nostalgia do the work alone?The answer is both — and that is exactly what makes this rollout worth studying.The Nostalgia Is Real, and It Was Not Left to ChanceLet’s give the obvious its due. The original Devil Wears Prada is one of those rare films that never left the cultural conversation. With endlessly quotable lines and a starry cast that has only...