Miranda Priestly’s Comeback: Behind the Scenes of The Devil Wears Prada Sequel

Time to peel back the glossy pages: The Devil Wears Prada is making its runway return, and the backstage revelations are as irresistible as couture. In an exclusive retrospective, award-winning journalist reveals how the original film’s high-stakes glamour laid the groundwork for next May’s sequel starring Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt.

The genesis of this fashion powerhouse began long before the book hit shelves. Fox executives greenlit a film adaptation based on Lauren Weisberger’s debut manuscript after reading only the first segment and an outline. That early confidence paid off when the movie stormed into theaters in mid-two-thousand-six, ultimately raking in over three hundred million dollars worldwide. Yet it wasn’t just box-office muscle; it was the electric chemistry and pinpoint performances that made the film a cultural touchstone.

Cast member Tracie Thoms, who portrayed grad student Lily—Andy Sachs’s candid confidante—still shivers recalling the very first table read. She explains how Meryl Streep’s hushed, commanding tone compelled every actor to lean in, a technique the Oscar winner borrowed from Clint Eastwood’s famously quiet authority. “We could barely hear her,” Thoms told E! News. “Then a page-and-a-half in, I realized this measured delivery was pure genius. You had to submit to Miranda’s power.”

On set, Thoms enjoyed a surprisingly carefree four days. While Streep transformed into the imperious Runway editor and Hathaway rehearsed her transformation from aspiring journalist to fashion acolyte, Thoms and Hathaway belted out Rent tunes between takes. “We sometimes didn’t even know when David Frankel called action,” she laughs, recalling impromptu chats about French fries until Anne Hathaway walked in—and suddenly, the cameras rolled.

Nearly two decades later, the film’s legacy endures. Thoms still tunes in whenever The Devil Wears Prada airs on television, noting the unexpected confessionals she hears from straight-laced men who admit it’s their guilty pleasure. “They shouldn’t feel guilty,” Thoms insists. “It’s a smart, funny movie that grabs you.”

Now the sequel ramps up the intrigue. With Blunt stepping into a new high-pressure role opposite Streep’s iconic Miranda, insiders hint at fresh power plays and razor-sharp dialogue adapted from Weisberger’s evolving narrative. Production kicks off soon, promising more sartorial showdowns and backstage antics.

There you have it—behind every ferocious fashion moment lies a handful of song-filled interludes, uncanny table-read tactics, and a cast who knew they were part of something special. Keep your stilettos sharpened for May’s premiere; this is one runway revival you won’t want to miss.
And there you have it. Make of that what you will.

Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! News, Variety, Fox 2000, Lauren Weisberger interview
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed