Headlines confirmed it in July 2024. A sequel to “The Devil Wears Prada” is in development, with Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt in talks to return, according to Variety on 8 July 2024. And already, fan attention has locked onto one sharp detail that says power without a word: Miranda Priestly in red pumps.
The context matters. The 2006 film debuted in June 2006 and grossed about 326.7 million dollars worldwide, per Box Office Mojo, and earned two Academy Award nominations in 2007 including Best Actress for Meryl Streep and Best Costume Design for Patricia Field. The follow up, reported by The Hollywood Reporter the same week in July 2024, is said to explore a fashion industry in transformation. This is where the color choice reads like a message. Red heels signal a shift in Miranda’s armour.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 moves forward, while the shoes tell a bigger story
What is official first. Variety reported that Disney’s 20th Century Studios set the project in motion and is courting screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, with David Frankel in talks to direct again. The Hollywood Reporter added that Lauren Weisberger, author of the source novel, is linked to development discussions. Casting is not fully locked, although Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt are part of the talks cited in July 2024 coverage. A release window has not been announced.
What remains in the rumor column. Any specific wardrobe details, including those red pumps, sit in the realm of informed speculation until the studio drops official stills. Yet the logic behind this choice is solid in costume terms. The first film turned accessories into plot devices. That tradition can continue with a single, coded flash of color.
Numbers keep the frame steady. Box Office Mojo lists the original at 326.7 million dollars globally against a reported budget near 35 million dollars. Meryl Streep took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress in January 2007, while Emily Blunt received BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations the same awards season. The sequel starts with a cultural footprint that is rare in fashion cinema, which makes any micro clue, like red heels, carry outsized weight.
Why Miranda Priestly in red pumps feels intentional, not random
Color is narrative. Research from the University of Rochester led by Andrew Elliot in 2008 showed that red can amplify perceived attractiveness and status signals. In sports science, a Nature paper by Russell Hill and Robert Barton in 2005 linked the color red to higher win rates in competitive contexts. On screen, that translates into dominance and command before a character speaks.
There is also the design lineage. Christian Louboutin introduced the lacquer red sole in 1993. In 2012, the United States Second Circuit Court of Appeals recognized the protectable status of that signature red sole within defined contexts. In 2018, the Court of Justice of the European Union confirmed that Louboutin’s red sole mark could be valid as a position mark. Those rulings turned a shade into a legal identity, and by extension into cultural shorthand.
Against that backdrop, red pumps on Miranda would signal more than flair. The original Miranda often wore a cool palette, an icy silhouette, surgical jewelry. Dropping a decisive red accent reframes the character as active force within a rougher industry cycle. It is a move that reads instantly on a phone screen, which is where trailers and stills now live first.
From prop to power play, and what to watch for next
Costume has always driven this franchise. Patricia Field’s work on the 2006 film secured that Oscar nomination and engineered looks that moved from cinema into street style within weeks. A single accessory did heavy narrative lifting then. It can do the same now if the sequel’s creative team decides to push a red pump into frame as the new status cue.
There is also a marketing logic. A bold shoe silhouette carries cleanly across posters, thumbnails, short clips, and store displays. Red edits well. It pops on glossy paper and even more on small screens. It can anchor teaser art long before plot details land, which is why footwear often appears first in campaign imagery.
What fills the gap. Official images will answer the shoe question definitly. Look for three tells when the first stills arrive. One, consistent red accents across scenes, not a one off. Two, a heel paired with neutral tailoring to magnify contrast. Three, close framing on steps or doors, a classic way to place authority without dialogue. Until then, the available facts stand simple. Sequel in development per Variety and The Hollywood Reporter in July 2024. Original numbers verified by Box Office Mojo. Awards tallies from the Academy and the Golden Globes. The rest is costuming logic meeting audience expectation, and a color that has signified power on screen for decades.