"The Devil Wears Prada 2" opened to $75 million-$80 million domestically, cementing itself as the summer's reigning box office force. Meryl Streep's return as the tyrannical Miranda Priestly proved audiences still hunger for the 2006 original's blend of fashion satire and workplace drama, even two decades later.
Lionsgate's "Michael" took second place with a $51 million opening, though the biopic showed stronger staying power. The film's -48% drop from its preview night earnings suggests solid audience interest beyond opening weekend curiosity, the kind of hold that typically signals genuine word-of-mouth traction.
The weekend marks a notable departure from last year's summer landscape. Studios banked on high-profile sequels and event films to drive ticket sales during what's traditionally Hollywood's biggest season. Both movies succeeded in their fundamental job: moving butts into seats and reminding the industry that audiences still show up for properties with cultural weight, whether nostalgia-driven or prestige-oriented.
The combination of a legacy franchise refresh and a biographical drama anchoring the box office suggests this summer's race will belong to films with pedigree and star power rather than superhero spectacle or algorithm-friendly retreads. "The Devil Wears Prada 2" clearly won round one.