The Devil Wears Prada 2 has delivered the biggest opening weekend at the Australian box office in the past 12 months, signalling continued momentum for cinema audiences and premium viewing experiences.
The sequel took $13.1 million across its Wednesday-to-Sunday debut (including preview screenings), alongside 547,000 admissions, marking the second-biggest comedy opening of all time locally, behind Barbie.
The result lands amid a broader recovery for cinema, with multiple record-breaking openings already recorded in 2026 and the strongest Easter period since 2019.
Audience data points to broad appeal, with the film drawing both legacy fans and new viewers. Notably, 62% of the audience came from the P25–54 demographic, alongside a 69% female skew.
Premium cinema formats also played a role in driving revenue, underlining the ongoing value of the theatrical experience for both audiences and advertisers.
Audience growth across key segments
The opening contributes to a wider uplift in cinema performance, with overall admissions up 13% year-on-year across all key demographics, including younger audiences, families and culturally diverse segments.
Guy Burbidge, Managing Director of Val Morgan Cinema, positioned the result as part of a broader trend.
“The Devil Wears Prada 2 is another huge cultural moment – a great example of how nostalgic, quality content pulls in the big audiences.”
“We’ve seen a run of record-breaking openings, the strongest Easter period in six years, and now continued growth across both box office and admissions year-on-year. That performance is being driven by broad audience growth across all key segments.”
Advertising case strengthens for cinema
Burbidge also pointed to the implications for advertisers, linking audience engagement to campaign effectiveness.
“Combining this with the Cost of Dull research, which highlighted the benefits for brands in using Cinema vs low attention formats, reinforces why now is such a powerful time for brands to be on the big screen.
“The months ahead will only build on this, with a strong slate of quality content and expanded opportunities beyond the screen”.