“The Devil Wears Prada 2” is dominating the box office and showing that audiences are shifting away from superhero films. The fashion-forward sequel has already earned $546 million globally, including $370 million from international markets, on a $100 million budget.
With momentum still strong, the movie is expected to cross $600 million, potentially making it one of the highest-grossing films of 2026.
Prada 2 Outperforms Superhero Movies
The success of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” highlights a trend: superhero movies are losing their previous dominance. The film has already out-earned all 2025 Marvel Studios releases, including “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” ($522 million), “Thunderbolts” ($382 million), and “Captain America: Brave New World” ($415 million).
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, new superhero franchises have struggled to make a strong impact. Marvel’s planned “Eternals” expansion disappointed, and sequels like “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” have been delayed. Even DC’s top releases in 2025, including “Superman” ($618 million), earned less than earlier hits like Zack Snyder’s 2013 “Man of Steel” ($668 million).
Superhero Films Are No Longer Guaranteed Hits
The days when films like “Venom” or the original “Joker” easily crossed $800 million or $1 billion are over. Recent releases such as “Joker: Folie à Deux” ($207 million), “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” “The Flash,” and “Blue Beetle” have underperformed. Even Dwayne Johnson’s “Black Adam” failed to launch a new DC franchise.
Before 2023, blockbuster superheroes were still dominant, with hits like “Spider-Man: No Way Home” ($1.9 billion), “The Batman” ($772 million), and Marvel’s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” ($955 million). But 2023 and beyond showed cracks, with films like “The Marvels” earning just $206 million and Sony’s “Spider-Man” spin-offs failing to meet expectations.
Hollywood Needs to Adapt
The success of “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” along with other films like “Barbie,” “It Ends With Us,” and “Project Hail Mary” ($668 million and counting), proves that audiences are eager for stories beyond superhero franchises. Younger viewers, particularly Gen Z, are drawn to films like “Five Nights at Freddy’s” or “The Minecraft Movie,” which focus on new and relatable content rather than legacy franchises.
Women, a historically underserved audience, have also turned out in large numbers for films like “Prada 2” and “Barbie,” demonstrating the value of broadening storytelling perspectives.
Superheroes Are Not Dead, But Change Is Needed
While superhero movies like “Deadpool & Wolverine” (2024) and the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday” (2026) continue to succeed, studios should no longer treat them as the only path to box office success. The message is clear: audiences’ tastes are evolving, and Hollywood must adapt by offering diverse stories and catering to changing interests.
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” is currently showing in theatres, proving that non-superhero films can thrive in today’s market.
