Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci opted for a touch of method dressing on Tuesday, as the trio coordinated in bright red looks for a screening of The Devil Wears Prada 2 in New York City. The three film stars channelled the highly-anticipated sequel's aesthetic by sporting sophisticated and scarlet-themed ensembles that looked straight out of the hallowed halls of Runway magazine.
Anne, 43, stood out from the crowd in a button-up shirt dress with a satin collar, matching perfectly to her satin stilettos and classic red lip. The Oscar-winner ensured she was the centre of attention as she layered an eye-catching leopard print coat over the top, beaming widely to showcase her radiant and youthful looks. Not to be outdone, Emily, 43, put her best fashion foot forward as she arrived at the Metrograph in a chic red knitted cardigan teamed with a contrasting leather pencil skirt. Stanley, 65, showed everyone how it is done as he stepped out in a satin double-breasted blazer, with black slacks and a classic white button-up, finished with a patterned maroon tie.
Promotional Trail for the Sequel
The stars have been pulling out their best looks yet on the promotional trail for The Devil Wears Prada 2, to pay homage to the film being a love letter to high-end fashion. The sequel sees Anne reprising her role as Andy Sachs to reunite with Emily, Stanley, and Meryl Streep's icy editor, Miranda Priestly, as the group dive back into the cutthroat world of high fashion, but this time with a modern twist. The sequel will also introduce a host of new faces, including Justin Theroux, Kenneth Branagh, and Lucy Liu. Donatella Versace, Ciara, and Ashley Graham also have cameos, while Justin Theroux plays Emily's boyfriend Benji, Kenneth Branagh is Miranda's new husband, and Simone Ashley plays Miranda's current first assistant.
Plot and Early Reactions
The official plot for the sequel reads: 'As Miranda Priestly nears retirement, she reunites with Andy Sachs to face off against her former assistant turned rival: Emily Carlton.' While reviews for the sequel are still under embargo, early reactions on social media have been overwhelmingly positive, with critics warning fans to 'gird your loins... it is phenomenal.' The Hollywood Reporter's Alex Weprin shared that the movie is 'a biting media parody wrapped up in high fashion. Every journalist who sees it will cringe from recognition.' Variety writer Jazz Tangcay agreed, teasing: 'Gird your loins, the devil is back in all her glory! Yes, #thedevilwearsprada2 is phenomenal. It is the perfect sequel that exceeded all expectations.'
Mockery of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez
But those who have attended early screenings have also been left raising their eyebrows, as it seemingly mocks billionaire pair Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez after they funded the Met Gala. The power couple are the financial sponsors for this year's event and serve as co-chairs alongside Anna Wintour, Beyoncé, and Nicole Kidman. However, Bezos and Sanchez could be in for an awkward evening when the biggest night in fashion returns on May 4, as the gala is said to have a big tie-in with The Devil Wears Prada 2, which many fans claim parodies the pair. Early viewers have clocked a similarity between Sanchez and the character of Emily Charlton, the social-climbing assistant to Miranda. In the sequel, Emily has left Runway magazine and is working for Christian Dior but is desperate to increase her status, dating a pompous billionaire tech mogul played by Justin Theroux. His character Benji is said to be based on a mashup of Bezos and Elon Musk, as per Variety, who is seen in flashbacks wearing layers of 'fat' prosthetics before coming into extreme wealth, losing weight, and lavishly spending on his partner. Benji's first wife is billed as a philanthropist who uses her divorce payout to help others, in an apparent nod to Bezos' ex MacKenzie Scott. A subplot in Prada 2 sees Emily and Benji look into purchasing Runway, which could be a nod to the rumour that Bezos and Sanchez have been trying to purchase Vogue's publisher Condé Nast. A spokesperson for Emily told Variety it was 'absolutely not true' that her character was based on Sánchez Bezos, while Disney had no comment.
Met Gala Backlash
Now Sanchez and Bezos could face an awkward night at the Met Gala next month, given the Prada 2 cast are expected to attend. There has already been backlash to the billionaire's involvement in the gala, which raises funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. Just steps away from the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 81st Street and Third Avenue on the Upper East Side, protest posters have been pasted on the boarded-up entrance of the now-closed Daona Deli. The giant posters bear two very bold messages. The first showed what appeared to be a plastic water bottle filled with urine on a red carpet in front of flashing camera lights. 'The Bezos Met Gala,' the sign read. 'Brought to you by worker exploitation.' A large, bright red poster next to it displayed an even more scathing message in bold white letters, reading, 'Boycott the Bezos Met Gala.' Underneath, in smaller font, the poster shared a message that said: 'There's no dressing it up. Met Gala chair Jeff Bezos avoids tax, enables ICE, and backs Trump. Don't let him get away with it.'
In November, Wintour responded to criticism surrounding the couple's role as Met Gala sponsors in an interview with CNN, telling the outlet that Sanchez is a 'great lover of costume and obviously of fashion.' She said that she believes that Sanchez would be a 'wonderful asset to the museum and the event.' 'We're very grateful for her incredible generosity,' Wintour continued. 'So we're thrilled she's part of the night.' This year's dress code is 'fashion is art,' which will serve as a more specific baseline for guests against the gala's overall theme of 'costume art.' The star-studded guest list includes members of the host committee, such as Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Misty Copeland, Lena Dunham, Angela Bassett, Sam Smith, and Chase Sui Wonders. The New York City museum will pair historical and contemporary garments from the Costume Institute for the exhibition, which will be loosely divided into three categories: the classical body and the nude body, aging bodies and pregnant bodies, and the anatomical body. The Devil Wears Prada 2 is released in cinemas on May 1.
