‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Opens to $75M-$80M Domestically, $114.6M Worldwide

Key facts

• The Devil Wears Prada 2 earned $32.5M on its first Friday from 4,150 theaters.
• Domestic opening weekend projected at $75M-$80M, with $114.6M globally including $82.1M from overseas.
• 75% of the U.S. audience was female; 63% women over 25, 22% men over 25, 12% women under 25, 2% men under 25.
• 36% of viewers were over 45, and 22% over 55.
• 51% of attendees cited the cast as the main draw; 43% came for the actresses, 42% for franchise loyalty.
• Diversity breakdown: 48% Caucasian, 28% Hispanic/Latino, 12% Black, 7% Asian American.
• The film received an A- CinemaScore, higher than the original’s B.
• Premium large format screens drove one-third of the U.S. weekend business.

A Sequel That Defies the Odds

Two decades after Andy Sachs first navigated the treacherous corridors of Runway magazine, audiences have returned in force for The Devil Wears Prada 2. The sequel, directed by David Frankel and reuniting Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci, is on track for a domestic opening weekend of $75 million to $80 million. Including $82.1 million from overseas, the film’s global total stands at $114.6 million against a reported production budget of $100 million. The strong start marks a rare triumph for a legacy sequel that arrives 20 years after the original. Pre-sales were robust, though walk-up business slowed on Friday, according to industry sources. Still, the film’s Friday gross of $32.5 million positions it for a weekend that could exceed initial projections.

An Audience of Women, Older and Loyal

The film’s demographic profile reveals a striking skew: 75% of the U.S. audience was female, with women over 25 accounting for 63% of ticket buyers. Men over 25 made up 22%, while women and men under 25 represented 12% and 2%, respectively. The over-45 cohort comprised 36% of the audience, and the over-55 group alone contributed 22%. Exit polling from PostTrak showed that 51% of attendees came primarily for the cast, 43% for the actresses, and 42% because it is part of a franchise they love. The film earned an A- CinemaScore, a grade higher than the original film’s B. Analysts noted that in the pre-pandemic era, book adaptations were often judged more harshly by female audiences, making the improvement particularly notable.

Regional Strength and Premium Screens

The film performed strongest in the Eastern, South Central, and Western regions of the United States. The AMC Lincoln Square in New York City was the top-grossing location, generating over $156,000 through Friday. Premium large-format screens accounted for roughly one-third of the weekend’s domestic revenue, underscoring the appeal of the theatrical experience for this release. Diversity among the audience was measured at 48% Caucasian, 28% Hispanic and Latino, 12% Black, and 7% Asian American. The broad appeal across ethnic groups suggests the sequel has successfully recaptured the cultural resonance of its predecessor.

Competition and the Broader Box Office Landscape

The Devil Wears Prada 2 opened alongside several other new releases and holdovers. The Michael Jackson biopic Michael, now in its second weekend, earned $14.4 million on Friday and is projected at $51 million for the weekend, a 48% drop from its opening. Its total domestic cume stands at $180.8 million, making it Lionsgate’s second-highest-grossing post-Covid release behind John Wick: Chapter 4. Other notable titles include Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which added $2.7 million on Friday for a projected $12.1 million weekend and a $402.6 million cumulative total. The horror film Hokum, starring Adam Scott, opened to $2.6 million on Friday with a projected $6 million weekend, while Andy Serkis’s animated Animal Farm managed only $1.1 million on Friday for a $3.3 million weekend. The overall weekend box office for all films is estimated at $173 million, a 20% increase over the same weekend last year.

What the Sequel’s Success Means for Hollywood

The Devil Wears Prada 2’s strong opening demonstrates that there is still substantial appetite for adult-oriented, female-driven franchise fare in theaters. The film’s older audience—particularly the over-55 segment—is a demographic often underserved by blockbuster programming, yet it turned out in force. The A- CinemaScore and high definite-recommend rate of 76% suggest strong word-of-mouth that could sustain the film in the weeks ahead. For Disney and 20th Century Studios, the sequel’s performance validates the strategy of reviving beloved intellectual property from the early 2000s. The original film, based on Lauren Weisberger’s novel, became a cultural touchstone and launched catchphrases and fashion moments that endure. The sequel now faces the challenge of living up to that legacy while carving its own identity. Early returns indicate it has succeeded in bringing back the core audience, but whether it can attract younger viewers in subsequent weekends remains an open question.

The bottom line

• The Devil Wears Prada 2 opened to $75M-$80M domestically and $114.6M globally, exceeding expectations for a 20-year-old property.
• The audience was 75% female, with a strong showing from women over 25 and the over-45 demographic.
• The film earned an A- CinemaScore, higher than the original’s B, and a 76% definite recommend from PostTrak.
• Premium large-format screens drove one-third of the U.S. weekend gross.
• The sequel’s success signals enduring demand for adult-oriented, female-led franchise films in theaters.
• Michael held well in its second weekend, while other new releases like Hokum and Animal Farm had modest openings.