The release of The Devil Wears Prada 2 has sparked widespread conversation, not only for its nostalgic appeal but for its unsettling parallels to the current media landscape. The sequel, which hit theaters just days before this year's Bezos-sponsored Met Gala, presents a fictional scenario that feels strikingly real.
A Plot That Hits Close to Home
The film follows Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) as she navigates a major scandal that threatens Runway magazine. Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), now a successful but recently laid-off journalist, returns to restore the publication's former glory. However, tech billionaire Benji Barnes (Justin Theroux) plans to acquire the magazine for his girlfriend, Emily (Emily Blunt), Andy's former colleague.
Many viewers have drawn comparisons between Theroux's character and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who purchased The Washington Post and has been rumored to eye Condé Nast, the publisher of Vogue (which inspired Runway). Reports in mid-2025 suggested Bezos might acquire Condé Nast as a wedding gift for his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos. Anna Wintour, Condé Nast's chief content officer, denied those rumors in 2025, but the timing of the film's release has fueled speculation.
Screenwriter Denies Direct Inspiration
Screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna told Variety that the script was completed before the Bezos rumors emerged. “We already had a script and were making the movie when the rumors started happening,” she said. “It wasn’t inspired by anything. But, we did say, ‘Whoa’ when it happened.” A representative for Emily Blunt also denied that her character was based on Lauren Sánchez Bezos, calling it “absolutely not true.”
Eerie Coincidences and Real-Life Parallels
The film's release, just days before the Bezos-backed Met Gala, highlighted the overlap. Jeff and Lauren Sánchez Bezos served as honorary chairs of the event, which is a major revenue source for Condé Nast. The parallels extend beyond the plot: like Benji Barnes, Bezos was not a fashion advocate when he first attended the Met Gala over a decade ago while married to philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. After his divorce, he and Sánchez Bezos became front-row guests at Fashion Week, with Sánchez earning a Vogue spread featuring their wedding.
In the film, Benji receives a makeover thanks to his fashion-forward girlfriend, mirroring Bezos's transformation. The Bezos couple's presence at the Met Gala has drawn criticism, with left-wing activist group Everyone Hates Elon calling for a boycott. A parody advertisement read, “The Bezos Met Gala Invites You To Party Like It’s 1939,” adding that the dress code is “willful ignorance.” Several celebrities reportedly skipped the event in protest.
Social Media Buzz
Audiences took to social media to note the irony. One user wrote, “Like the irony of the storyline of Devil Wears Prada 2 playing out in our alt universe where the billionaire does actually gain major influence within a key fashion institution + inserts his wife while the fashion workforce dwindles.” Another commented, “THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 is not just a drama/comedy film, IT IS A DOCUMENTARY.”
Accidental or not, the film has intensified scrutiny of Bezos and Sánchez Bezos's ties to the fashion and media industries. The Devil Wears Prada 2 has certainly not done them any favors.
