‘Devil Wears Prada 2’ Proves Girly-Girl Movies Matter

Hollywood took notice after “Barbie” made all the money back in 2023. We need more movies based on classic toys, the industry cried in near-unison. Get that “Hot Wheels” script ready, stat! The Mattel Cinematic Universe has 16 films in the pipeline alone. What if “Barbie’s” appeal had less to do with toys and more about what women really want in theaters? Beauty! Glamour! Fashion! Makeup! Did it ever cross the industry’s mind? Not likely. Instead, we’ve gotten a steady stream of female-driven movies that look an awful lot like male-driven movies. “Furiosa.” “Ballerina.” “Cleaner.” And more. And, for the most part, those films have underperformed at the box office. Along comes “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” and girly-girl movies are back atop the leader board. The legacy sequel, 20 years in