The Devil Wears Prada 2 opening weekend delivered exactly what Hollywood had hoped for and then some. The sequel pulled in $77 million at the domestic box office over its debut weekend, according to early estimates from Hollywood trade publications. That figure instantly placed it among the biggest theatrical releases of 2026. However, a closer look at the numbers reveals a more complicated picture than the headline suggests.
How the Devil Wears Prada 2 opening weekend stacks up
The film opened across 4,150 theaters in North America, meeting industry expectations with its $77 million gross. Overseas, it added an estimated $156.6 million, pushing its global total well past its reported $100 million production budget before the first weekend had even closed. That overseas performance alone puts the sequel within reach of surpassing the entire lifetime theatrical gross of the original film.
For context, the first Devil Wears Prada was a slow-burn success story. It opened with just $27.5 million in 2006 and built steadily over its run, eventually reaching $326 million worldwide according to BoxOfficeMojo data. The sequel blew past that opening number nearly three times over in a single weekend. By almost any measure, that is a remarkable debut.
The original cast and creative team return
Much of the excitement surrounding the sequel centered on who came back. Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci all returned to reprise their original roles. Director David Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna also reunited with the project, giving the sequel a continuity that fans of the original had long hoped for.
That combination of familiar faces and trusted creative voices appears to have paid off. The film earned an A- rating from CinemaScore, based on exit polls conducted after screenings. Critics have also responded positively, giving the sequel a reception that stands in sharp contrast to the divisive reviews that greeted some of this year’s other major releases.
Here is where the twist comes in
Despite its impressive debut, the Devil Wears Prada 2 opening weekend ranks only fourth among 2026’s biggest opening weekends so far. Three films opened bigger this year. 1. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie launched with $131 million last month, setting the early benchmark for 2026. 2. The Michael Jackson biopic Michael opened with $97 million in April, setting a record for music biopics. 3. Ryan Gosling’s Project Hail Mary debuted with $80 million in March, edging just past the sequel’s total.
That context matters. A $77 million opening is genuinely strong by any historical standard. Yet in a year that has already produced three larger debuts, the sequel finds itself playing catch-up rather than leading the conversation.
How the rest of the box office performed
The arrival of Devil Wears Prada 2 reshuffled the weekend rankings in notable ways. Michael, which had dominated the previous weekend with its record-setting biopic debut, dropped to second place. Even so, it held remarkably well, earning another $54 million domestically a decline of just 44% from its opening frame. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie added $12 million in its continuing run, while Project Hail Mary brought in around $8.5 million. Fifth place went to Hokum, an indie horror film starring Adam Scott and distributed by Neon, which opened to approximately $6.4 million.
What comes next for the sequel
With strong audience scores, positive critical reception, and a global total already ahead of its production budget, Devil Wears Prada 2 enters its second weekend in a solid position. The question now is whether it can sustain that momentum through the coming weeks and build the kind of long theatrical run that turned the original into a cultural touchstone. Based on its opening trajectory, the answer looks promising.
Source: Forbes
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