Leadership Lessons from The Devil Wears Prada 2

The release of The Devil Wears Prada 2 movie, starring icons Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep, and Stanley Tucci, which premiered earlier this summer, feels timely, as many employees, especially those in marketing and tech, are questioning their roles at their companies and their industries at large. Per Forbes, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is one of the biggest films of 2026, generating a $233.6 million global box office opening. The film may be considered a throwback for millennials and iconic fashion montages, but at a closer look, the film also contains timely lessons for professionals on navigating changes and staying coachable in an ever-changing job market. The film explores a question that resonates well beyond the fashion industry: What does it take to remain relevant after you've already achieved success?Andy (Hathaway) is no longer the struggling/ wanna be journalist we saw in the early 2000s. She is now a successful mid-career writer receiving a prestigious award for investigative journalism at a fancy dinner where she finds out everyone at her publication is being laid off via text message. She gives a speech on the value of journalism that goes viral. At the same time, Runway Magazine and Miranda Priestly (Streep) are going viral for publishing a controversial article about a fast fashion company when it is revealed the brand uses unethical labor practices that violate human rights, which destroys the magazine's credibility with advertisers and readers. So Andy is brought in to restore credibility.

Unlike the original film, this is no longer the story of a young woman, journalist, and professional finding her footing, but this is a sequel that follows successful women in their industry who have to continue to evolve even after many years of success. Miranda, the editor-in-chief of Runway, is viewed as a feared industry leader but is forced to adapt as the landscape of the publishing industry changes, as well as navigate new management. The (fictional) longtime owner of Elias Clarke, Irv Rabitz (Tibor Feldman), passes away shortly before being able to announce the promised promotion as Global Head of Content for Miranda. His much younger and less fashion-inclined casual tech son, Jay Ravitz (B.J. Novak), takes over and clashes with Miranda’s demanding and strict standards. 

Miranda (Streep) and Andy (Hathway) are forced to team up to save the magazine from the new ownership and corporate struggles, leading to mutual respect. Their partnership illustrates a lesson many executives eventually learn: regardless of title or experience, no leader ever outgrows the need to collaborate, continue learning, and adapt to change. Nearly twenty years after the original film aired, The Devil Wears Prada 2 offers a different kind of career story. Rather than breaking into a competitive industry or a new industry, our main characters, accomplished professionals, continue to evolve and grow. By remaining curious, Andy learns to improve Runways' articles using metrics from the readers and social channels and paying attention to culture, nailing an interview with Sasha Barnes (Lucy Liu), the ex-wife of a billionaire/tech mogul. In the original film, Miranda was the teacher, and Andy was the student. In the sequel, those roles become more fluid. Miranda still possesses unmatched industry knowledge, but she also recognizes that Andy brings expertise and insight she doesn't have. That shift reflects an important leadership principle: coachable leaders don't stop learning once they become experts. They recognize that every colleague can offer insights that strengthen the organization’s vision and goals.

While the film centers on the state of journalism and Andy’s return to Runway to navigate the changing media landscape, when asked about the film’s timeliness and commentary on technology advances, cast member Stanley Tucci replied, “Because journalism has changed. Magazines have changed distinctly. Most of them only exist online. ... AI and technology has changed, not just the physical thing, but journalism itself, which is how obviously the movie starts,” per Today. Meryl Streep added, “Everybody in their lives has had to surf the new reality and figure out how to survive, how to keep their scruples intact, how to keep their conscience awake and alive,” she says. “(All the characters do) it in a different way and there are lots of compromises people make, and yet together, it’s kind of triumphant in the end,” per Today. Her observation captures one of the film's central leadership lessons: navigating change is not an option. How leaders respond to workplace disruptions- whether it’s up-and-coming technology, new management, or company ownership- remaining adaptable and coachable, upholding your integrity, and staying open to learning shapes your career. The Devil Wears Prada 2 ultimately suggests that career longevity is about evolving with change, a note that all of us working in marketing and tech can learn from.

Written by Hannah Lacy
Bio: Hannah Lacy is a digital content strategist with over seven years of experience in marketing and social media, and more than a decade of experience as a freelance writer contributing to various publications. A working mother of two school-aged children, she writes at the intersection of ambition and parenthood, with a passion for storytelling, advocating for working moms, and partnering with mission-driven brands and organisations.