Box Office: 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' Earns $32.5 Million Opening

The much-anticipated sequel, 'The Devil Wears Prada 2,' has made a significant impact at the box office after its opening weekend, grossing approximately $32.5 million from 4,150 theatres across North America. This strong debut places it firmly at the top of the box office charts on its first day. Industry analysts project that the film, produced by 20th Century Studios, could achieve total earnings between $75 million and $80 million by Sunday. However, some estimates suggest the figure could rise to as high as $90 million by the end of the weekend.

Originally released in June 2006, 'The Devil Wears Prada' earned $27.5 million on its opening weekend. It ultimately concluded its box office run with a domestically gross of $125 million, which adjusts to $204 million when considering inflation. The sequel sees the return of original director David Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna. Additionally, several stars from the first film—Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci—have reprised their roles.

In 'The Devil Wears Prada 2,' Anne Hathaway's character, Andy Sachs, now established as a prominent figure in fashion journalism, reconnects with Meryl Streep's powerful editor-in-chief, Miranda Priestly, at Runway magazine. The film’s narrative explores themes of ambition and transformation within the high-paced fashion industry.

Following closely behind, last week's box office leader, 'Michael,' has fallen to second place, collecting approximately $14.4 million during its second Friday in theatres. The biopic about the King of Pop is expected to earn an additional $51 million by Sunday, despite a projected decline of roughly 48% from the previous weekend's figures. If it maintains this momentum, 'Michael' may challenge the box office record set by 2018's 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' which concluded its run with a staggering $910 million. Additionally, it could potentially surpass 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' to become the highest-grossing film ever released by Lionsgate, which stands at approximately $865 million.

Also debuting in cinemas on Friday, Angel Studios’ animated adaptation of 'Animal Farm' opened in sixth place with an estimated $1.1 million from 1,130 theatres. Directed by Andy Serkis, this family-friendly version of George Orwell's 1945 allegorical novel features a star-studded cast, including Jim Parsons, Iman Vellani, Seth Rogen, Woody Harrelson, Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, and Kieran Culkin.

In additional box office news, the animated film 'The Super Mario Galaxy' took third place, earning around $2.7 million domestically on Friday, with expectations of reaching up to $12 million by Sunday. This would bring its cumulative domestic gross to approximately $402 million after five weekends of release.

New horror film 'Hokum,' which is the directorial debut of Damian McCarthy, has earned roughly $2.6 million, aiming for a total of about $6 million by Sunday. The film follows a writer attending an Irish inn to scatter his parents' ashes, unaware that the location holds dark secrets. The cast features Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, and Mallory Adams.

'Project Hail Mary' rounds out the top five, generating an estimated $2.2 million. By Sunday, its North American total is expected to reach approximately $318 million, after adding $8.9 million during the weekend.