‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Dethrones ‘Michael’ at Box Office

The Devil Wears Prada 2 strutted to the top of the box office and kicked off the summer movie season in style.

The sequel to the 2006 film about the cutthroat fashion industry debuted with a projected $77 million and dethroned Michael to become the No. 1 movie in America, Comscore reported Sunday.

Prada 2 was even bigger abroad, earning $156.6 million in international markets, for a worldwide total of $233.6 million! With a reported production budget of $100 million, the dramedy made more than twice that this weekend.

Acting legend Meryl Streep returned as “Miranda Priestly,” an industry leader loosely based on Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci were also back in the fashionable streets of New York City for the sequel.

The film is on pace to earn more than the original, which ended its box office run with $327 million worldwide, per Box Office Mojo.

David Frankel returned to direct the 20th Century Studios sequel from a script by Aline Brosh McKenna, who also penned the original. Timed for maximum exposure, the film opened the weekend before the Met Gala, which takes place May 4 in New York City.

Related: Michael Jackson’s Son Prince Says Critics Wanted ‘Michael’ to Flop

Moviegoers gave the sequel an “A-” CinemaScore in exit polling. Critics handed the film a positive 78 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, with most agreeing the sequel is enjoyable, but not as good as the original.

“It can’t hold a candle to the impactful original, but happily–as with a vintage designer bag–there’s still plenty of charm left,” wrote Erin Strecker of Us Weekly.

The sequel “retains the charm, humor, and wit of the original while introducing greater maturity and a modern perspective on the workplace,” added Rosa Parra of The Latino Slant.

Thanks to Prada 2 and Michael, the box office was up 18% compared to the same weekend last year when the summer movie season launched, Comscore reported.

Michael Jackson biopic Michael slipped to second place this weekend, after ringing up another $54 million. In just ten days, the authorized film has earned $423.9 million worldwide.

The drama stars the late King of Pop’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson in the title role. Colman Domingo, Nia Long, and Miles Teller round out the main cast.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie continued to bring in the family audience, earning another $12.1 million in its fifth weekend of release.

Project Hail Mary was fourth with $8.5 million in its seventh week. It was followed by horror film Hokum, which debuted with $6.4 million.

Check out the box office chart below from Comscore head of marketplace trends, Paul Dergarabedian.