‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ debuts at the North American box office this weekend, industry estimates showed Sunday, taking audiences into the cutthroat world of haute couture 20 years after the hit original.
The sequel sees Anne Hathaway’s character return to work under tyrannical editor Miranda Priestly, again portrayed by Meryl Streep, as her fashion magazine faces an existential crisis.
Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt also return in the lead roles, while the star-studded cast includes several A-list additions and celebrity cameos.
Released by 20th Century Fox and starring returning director David Frankel, the film grossed US$77 million in the US and Canadian markets, according to Exhibitor Relations.
Franchise Entertainment Research analyst David A. Gross said, “It’s a sensational debut for a comedy drama,” noting the “very good” reviews and the themes of power, image and success that are “more recognizable and relevant today than ever before.”
Streep won a Golden Globe and received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in her debut role as Miranda Priestly – who is not based on longtime ‘Vogue’ chief Anna Wintour.
Last week’s box office winner “Michael,” the biopic on late superstar Michael Jackson, fell to second place but still grossed US$54 million, according to Exhibitor Relations.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and distributed by Lionsgate, the film tells the story of the legendary artist’s rise from a child actor to one of the world’s most famous pop icons.
The popstar’s nephew Jafar Jackson plays the lead role.
After grossing an impressive US$97 million in North America last weekend, the film has grossed over US$423 million at the global box office.
‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ finished third with US$12.1 million, bringing its total domestic gross to over US$400 million.
Universal and Illumination Studios’ animated sequel has grossed nearly US$900 million at the global box office, Exhibitor Relations reports.
The fourth spot went to Amazon MGM’s hit science-fiction adventure comedy ‘Project Hail Mary’, which earned US$8.6 million.
The film, starring Ryan Gosling as a teacher-turned-astronaut who must save the Earth from the setting sun, has grossed over US$625 million worldwide in its long run.
In fifth place with US$6.4 million was the indie horror film ‘Hokum’, a low-budget Irish production, which Gross said had received “excellent” reviews from critics and audiences.
Directed by Damien McCarthy and starring Adam Scott (“Severance”), the film follows a writer who travels to a mysterious hotel in rural Ireland.
Rounding out the top 10: ‘Animal Farm’ (US$3.4 million), ‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ (US$2.23 million), ‘Deep Water’ (US$2.15 million), ‘That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime’ (US$1 million), ‘The Drama’ (US$900,000).