Apr 30, 2026 2:39pm IST
Box Office Prediction: Is ‘The Devil’ Coming For ‘Michael’’s Throne?
This time, the summer box-office is kicking off with “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” marking the first female-driven film in modern Hollywood history to anchor the summer season: a window that's been traditionally dominated by Marvel superhero movies. “The Devil Wears Prada 2”, following in its footsteps, is eyeing a nearly $200 million blockbuster global opening.
The film's box office projection in India is equally exceptional. The Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci-starrer comedy drama is witnessing excellent advance bookings, underscoring a healthy opening in India. Given the tracking and the advance ticket sales, this highly anticipated sequel is projected to open even bigger than “Michael” and “Project Hail Mary”.
According to box office tracking platform RecoBee, “The Devil Wears Prada 2” is looking at an opening in the range of ₹7-8 crore net, including paid previews contributing around ₹2 crore. In contrast, last week's “Michael” collected ₹1.70 crore from paid previews and ₹3.80 crore on the first day, while “Project Hail Mary” opened at ₹2.25 crore net last month.
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“There's a high chance that among the movies that are releasing on May 1, the film could turn out to be the highest opening movie in India, and I think that speaks volumes about the kind of cult fan following that ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ has generated over the years,” says Akkshaye Rathie, Director at Aashirwad Theaters . “Plus, the kind of cinemas it will open in, would be the urban multiplex chains where the average ticket price is significantly higher, thus enabling a bigger net."
The original film, released in 2006, was a sleeper hit, earning $326.50 million at the global box office. The movie has since become a cultural touchstone with a loyal fanbase spanning generations, and this would reflect when the sequel hits cinemas tomorrow.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says the opening could even hit a double-digit opening, depending on the spot bookings. “A film like this, especially when it comes from a very popular brand from the West, automatically attracts a lot of attention, and that's what is happening. The ground curiosity to watch this film is tremendous, and I am sure it will translate to footfall even tomorrow when it opens. Tomorrow (May 1) is a holiday as well in Maharashtra, so a lot depends on spot booking as well. Spot bookings can really change the game for any film, as we have noticed in the past. So, I guess it's a wait-and-watch situation. As of now, seeing the curiosity, the advance booking and the hype, I think it's going to definitely touch double-digits.”
The tracking shows “The Devil Wears Prada 2” could be yet another win for Hollywood films in India. The David Frankel-directed movie will continue the English release’s success momentum that was initiated by “Project Hail Mary", which has collected nearly ₹70 crores in India, emerging as the biggest Hollywood hit of the year. “Michael” sustained this trend last week, earning over ₹25 crore in the first week. With “The Devil Wears Prada” sequel targeting a strong debut, Hollywood films seem to be regaining prominence among Indian audiences.
“It's going to be a great Friday. We have ‘Raja Shivaji’, ‘Ek Din’ in Bollywood and ‘Patriot’ in Malayalam. We also have ‘Bhooth Bangla’ already in the theatres, which is doing very well. And ‘Dhurandhar 2’, despite limited shows, is also attracting audiences and still collecting massively,” concludes Adarsh.
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