Some belated sequels crash and burn on arrival. Think “Zoolander 2,” “Blues Brothers 2000,” “Terminator: Dark Fate” and “Independence Day: Resurgence.” All duds or box office disappointments. “The Devil Wears Prada 2” won’t suffer that fate, despite the 20-year gap between the two films. In fact, the sequel might mimic another recent blockbuster that lured women back to theaters in droves. The 2023 smash “Barbie.” That film wasn’t just a box office juggernaut. It convinced women to dress up in the grand Barbie tradition to enjoy the experience with their best gal pals. It became a cultural flashpoint, a chance to bond over childhood memories and sisterhood. Will “Prada 2” be a spiritual sequel to that mega-hit? Photo by 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved. The safest bet is “absolutely.” Box Office Pro predicts the sequel will land in the $80-95 million range, a hefty debut for a comedy. Word of mouth might do the rest. For contrast, the original scored $27.5 million over a Fourth of July weekend. Why the optimism? Let’s start with the film’s first teaser, which didn’t share much in its brief running time. The under-60 second clip became last year’s most viewed trailer, more than sneak peeks at “Sinners,” “Superman” or “A Minecraft Movie.” That’s despite the original film’s solid but hardly massive $124 million at the U.S. box office (globally, it brought in a hefty $323 million). Yet we had to wait 20 years for a sequel, despite the rising star status of featured players Anne Hathaway (as put-upon assistant Andy) and Emily Blunt as the exasperated Emily. A new Fandango poll shows “Prada 2” as the third most anticipated film of the summer, behind “Toy Story 5” and “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” The sequel reunites them with Oscar-winner Meryl Streep as the venomous Miranda Priestly and Stanley Tucci. The May 1 release finds Miranda struggling to keep up with the digital age, something that wasn’t a major issue in the original yarn inspired by Lauren Weisberger’s bestselling novel. Photo by 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved. IMDB. The marketing team behind the sequel is keeping most of the details under wraps, a wise move. The sequel does expand the original cast, adding Kenneth Branagh, “Bridgerton’s” Simone Ashley, Lucy Liu, Justin Theroux, B.J. Novak and Pauline Chalamet. So why is “The Devil Wears Prada 2” not a sign of Hollywood desperation but a sly acknowledgement of what audiences crave? Some movies simply grow over the years, boosted by streaming access and stories that speak to something profound within us. The technology in the original “Prada” may be dated — remember that screeching pager tune whenever Miranda needed Andy’s help? The themes, by contrast, are timeless. “The Devil Wears Prada” nailed the hopes and dreams of young women who flirt with a brand of fame that can be intoxicating. Andy didn’t care about fashion until she worked within the industry 24/7. And, when she got her hands on some of the clothes collecting in her company’s closet, she was hooked. And she looked fabulous. Audiences got lost in Andy’s “Pygmalion”-like makeover. We’ll look past the running gag that Andy was both frumpy and overweight at the film’s start. Hathaway has always been lithe and lovely. Copyright: TM and2006 Twentieth Century Fox. All rights reserved. And as much as the Left wants to deny biology, women by and large want to look beautiful in the best fashions possible. It’s why those “Sex and the City” films featured Carrie Bradshaw luxuriating in that monstrous, overstuffed closet. It’s pure escapism. Plus, we’ve all had bosses as demanding as Streep’s Miranda Priestly, even if they couldn’t chill us with one withering look. Yes, she was a monster, but who couldn’t admire her drive, talent and ruthless efficiently? It helped that Streep’s performance epitomized the power of the softly spoken villain. She could destroy someone with a lifted eyebrow or well-manicured insult. The fact that Andy survived her chronic attacks, growing stronger by the day, proved intoxicating. And then there’s poor Adrien Grenier. He played Hathaway’s frustrated beau in the original film, but he won’t be back for an encore. Could the negative memes around his character be to blame? Or the fact that Grenier opted out of Hollywood, Inc. in the intervening years following his “Entourage” closeup? That’s showbiz. So is Hollywood’s occasional ability to give audiences what they want. Yes, the industry will crank out woke reboots and insult audiences when they’re summarily rejected. See “Starfleet Academy” for Exhibit A. Nostalgia still sells, and movie studios know it. The original “Prada” arrived at a time when culture war battles didn’t distract us from our daily lives. The film lacked the gerrymandered diversity casting we too often see today. No lectures. No “you go, girl” feminist talking points to stop the movie cold. Andy struggled with being Miranda’s assistant, but her intelligence and wit eventually made her an invaluable part of the Runway magazine team. But did she sell her soul in the process? Her beau thought so, but audiences had her back from start to finish. And they’ll have it again soon enough. Han Myung-Gu/WireImage The film is guaranteed a big opening weekend, but the only way to dampen the box office potential is to lean into Hollywood’s worst impulses. Identity Politics. Speeches. Political asides that erupt out of the blue. Or, the film’s stars will use “Prada’s” publicity tour to politicize the film. Streep is already attempting just that by insulting fashion icon turned First Lady Melania Trump. Some movies are critic-proof. “The Devil Wears Prada 2” is both critic and culture war proof, assuming Hollywood can get out of its own way. * * * Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of HollywoodInToto.com. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at HollywoodInToto.com.

This article is part of Upstream, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you. *** NASA’s Artemis II crew made history by venturing further than humans had ever gone before. But they also accomplished another spectacular feat: inspiring the rest of us with genuine “moon joy.” And they only had to fly 248,655 miles from Earth to do it. All of America fell in love with the crew members during their nearly 10-day mission, which began April 1. We knew there was something special brewing when we saw pilot Victor Glover tell each of his four daughters, “I love you,” just before launch. Mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen laughed with their loved ones. And commander Reid Wiseman flashed heart hands for his daughters, who made their widowed dad “moon cupcakes” to celebrate the moment he was chosen for the mission. We’re not crying; you’re crying.  They may have prepped for every possible scenario, but even NASA was surprised by the happiness on board. “This is a great example of why we go and do these missions,” NASA administrator Amit Kshatriya said. “If you can’t take love to the stars, then what are we doing?” With a batch of cookies from home, the cutest baseball-capped plushie, a bird’s eye view of humanity, and a message rooted in faith, here’s how the Artemis II crew touched our hearts and made life on Earth something to celebrate.  The ’80s sitcom intro: The crew cut together the most heartwarming ‘80s sitcom intro for space travel we’ve ever seen, edited to the “Full House” theme song. Featuring each astronaut as our favorite recurring character, it showed crew members looking up from their work with megawatt smiles straight into the camera. “We were doing scenes from bad ’80s sitcoms,” Reid Wiseman explained. “We are cracking up, up here.” That authentic camaraderie has us crossing our fingers for an invite to the next zero-gravity backyard barbecue. Even if you never saw the original TV series, the lyrics sent us to the moon: “Everywhere you look, everywhere you go, there’s a heart, a hand to hold onto … When you’re lost out there and you’re all alone, a light is waiting to carry you home.” Rise: America’s cutest zero-gravity indicator: Serving as the fifth member of the crew, adorable baseball-sized plushie Rise (designed by second-grader Lucas Ye as part of a worldwide contest) had plenty to do onboard. Inspired by Apollo 8’s iconic “Earthrise” photo, Rise served as a smiley indicator of weightlessness for the astronauts. But the design also featured a zipper pocket that held a digital memory card loaded with over 5.6 million names of people joining the mission. “We always say that we’re going for all, and by all,” Reid Wiseman shared. “Zipping that little pocket on the bottom of Rise was kind of the moment that put it all together for me.” The reminder to share the love: Just before the Artemis II crew briefly lost contact with mission control as they flew past the dark side of the moon, Victor Glover shared a powerful message about his faith. “I would like to remind you of one of the most important mysteries on Earth, and that’s love,” Glover said. “Christ said in response to what was the greatest command, that it was to love God with all that you are. And He also, being a great teacher, said the second is equal to it. And that is to love your neighbor as yourself.” Assuring everyone that there’s no distance too great, he added, “As we prepare to go out of radio communication, we’re still going to feel your love from Earth. And to all of you down on Earth and around Earth, we love you, from the moon.” The lunar marker for Carroll: Reid Wiseman lost his wife Carroll Taylor Wiseman to cancer in 2020 when she was 46. But the crew held her memory close when they named a lunar crater in her honor on April 6. “We lost a loved one; her name was Carroll,” Jeremy Hansen said. Describing that the location would be visible from Earth, he added, “It’s a bright spot on the moon. And we would like to call it ‘Carroll.’” Not a dry eye in the house, the crew held onto each other during one of the most moving moments of the mission. The unifying Easter message: Victor Glover dropped the mic with his impromptu reflections on April 4, the day before Easter. “I can really see Earth as one thing,” Glover shared of his elevated perspective. “You’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe, in the cosmos … You are special in all of this emptiness … You have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist together.” Inviting everyone around the world to strive toward unity, he invited us to “Remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing and that we gotta get through this together.” Other great moments from Artemis II:  Victor Glover’s daughter Maya’s viral dance celebrating her dad, while wearing a T-shirt printed with a picture of Victor in a space suit. The late Apollo-era astronaut Jim Lovell’s message to the crew: “Welcome to my old neighborhood.” The iconic Canadian maple cream cookie break on the dark side of the moon. The Easter eggs hidden around the cabin: “They were the dehydrated scrambled egg variety,” Koch said. “But we’re all pretty happy with them.”  The jar of Nutella’s great escape. The crew wearing paper solar glasses to watch the lunar eclipse — just like us! The official Artemis II playlist: NASA released the full playlist of wake-up songs, but each astronaut revealed their favorite. Jeremy Hansen picked “Under Pressure” by David Bowie, Victor Glover chose “Good Morning” by Mandisa, and Christina Koch selected “Sleepyhead” by Young & Sick. While he refused to take responsibility for Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club,” Reid Wiseman said he and his daughters chose “Tokyo Drifting” by Glass Animals.  The kid who told reporters why he was excited to witness the launch: “We’re going back to the f*ckin’ moon, that’s why.” Artemis III is scheduled to launch sometime in 2027 to test docking tech, and in 2028, Artemis IV will put humans back on the moon. As launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson said, “Artemis and Artemis II remind us that our greatest chapters are yet to be written.”

A senior official at the Department of Veteran Affairs pushed one of the largest healthcare companies in the country to improve its “diversity profile” while accepting thousands of dollars in poker chips and lavish gift cards from minority business executives, federal investigators say. John Windom, a 64-year-old Navy veteran, was tasked with spearheading a billion-dollar revamp of the VA’s electronic health records system. He used that perch to steer business to his lover and rake in thousands of dollars worth of luxury gifts and push government contractors to embrace DEI, according to federal prosecutors.  Windom, who is black, is accused of forming a self-described “Power Group” composed of executives from minority-owned businesses that allegedly sent him expensive gifts while some earned federal DEI contracts. These unreported gifts included $8,200 in Louis Vuitton gift cards, $2,000 in cash, a $631 HEPA filter, concert tickets, and $3,800 in casino chips, according to an indictment.  Members of the Power Group were left anonymous in federal charging documents though one was described as a “romantic partner” of Windom. Some of the contracts with Power Group companies were related to the VA electronic record project, though not all were.  Dr. Kurt Miceli, the chief medical officer of Do No Harm, told The Daily Wire that the case showed the danger of implementing DEI initiatives at the federal level. “Diversity initiatives in federal contracting elevate race, gender, or other demographic traits over merit and proven capability when awarding taxpayer‑funded work,” he said. “The result: set-asides and preferences that explicitly discriminate based on identity rather than awarding projects through competitive bidding and qualifications.” Windom was, until recently, the executive director of the Office of Electronic Health Record Modernization at the VA. In August 2017, he was tasked with bringing the department’s records system — part of the VA’s notoriously broken healthcare system — up to par with the rest of the federal government. Prior to his involvement with VA, Windom rose to the rank of captain in the Navy, where he mostly held HR-related management positions involving training personnel and overseeing the Pentagon’s electronic health record system overhaul. He retired from the Navy in 2017 to take the position with the VA. Two years into leading the electronic records project, Windom allegedly created a “Power Group” of seven executives and employees from minority-owned businesses that contracted with VA. These executives gave Windom a variety of kickbacks while he worked to get them access to federal benefits, federal investigators said. One of the individuals, identified only as “Person 4,” was in a romantic relationship with Windom from August 2016 to December 2018.  In communications with these executives, Windom reminded them that “loose lips sink ships,” asked one for concert tickets, and told another one to “get the f**k off this ride,” if the arrangement was making them uncomfortable, according to messages included in the indictment.  “As alleged, the defendant exploited his senior position for personal gain and concealed gifts and financial relationships that created serious conflicts of interest in the health care of our nation’s veterans,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “Such conduct is not only a betrayal of the public trust — it undermines confidence in the institutions dedicated to serving those who have sacrificed for this country.” Jeanine Pirro (Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Windom has been charged with concealment of material facts, false statements, and falsification of a record. His first court appearance is set for April 14.  The charges come as the Trump administration moves to crack down on DEI practices among federal contractors. President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week directing that contractors not engage in “any racially discriminatory DEI activities” for federal government work.  In June 2017, Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin announced that his department would adopt the same electronic health record standards as the Pentagon. Since that time the program has been plagued with problems, including ballooning costs and patient deaths. The program, which has been paused the last few years, is set to start up again this month.  A few months after the project was announced, Windom was placed in charge. He directed $10 billion to be allocated to the company Cerner, which has since been acquired by Oracle, for the project. At the time, the contract was one of the biggest information technology contracts for the federal government.  Soon after, investigators say he created the Power Group of minority business executives and employees.  “Between August 2017 and June 2021, in multiple locations, Defendant WINDOM attended events with other Power Group members and routinely accepted personal benefits such as gifts, meals, alcohol, entertainment, and other services from members of the Power Group,” the indictment says.  These events took place at restaurants and bars in and around the MGM National Harbor casino, as he used his position to “coerce” improper personal benefits, investigators said. He would routinely “demand” poker chips for games at the casino, the indictment alleges. (Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post via Getty Images) In November 2019, Windom asked for concert tickets for himself and another member of the Power Group from one of the business leaders, according to text messages. “Damn near sitting on the stage,” he wrote the day of the concert. “You da man.” These benefits were hidden from VA officials and the Office of Government Ethics, according to investigators.  At the same time, Windom used his position “to encourage, monitor, and facilitate contracting and subcontracting opportunities for members of the Power Group,” both connected and not connected to the electronic health record project, the indictment said.  While pushing for personal benefits from members of the Power Group, Windom allegedly pressured them “to make business decisions unrelated to” the electronic records project that “advanced” his “diversity objectives” before he “demanded to be rewarded.”  He also “threatened economic and reputational harm to members of the Power Group, particularly but not only when they were not meeting his diversity-related networking expectations,” according to the indictment.  In July 2018, Cerner entered into a diversity contract with Windom’s romantic partner as the lead after he “demanded” that it “improve its diversity profile and inclusion efforts,” the indictment said. Around that time, Cerner started increasing its DEI efforts and it released a DEI report in 2019 showing how the company took steps to “expand” on “diversity and inclusion efforts.” In 2019, Windom allegedly worked to “pressure” a Power Group member “to complete diversity contract renewal negotiations with Cerner.” Miceli said pushing DEI in contracting led to the most “qualified contractors” being sidelined and was particularly concerning when done in the healthcare realm.  “When pushed aggressively at the federal level, DEI policies erode public trust, foster resentment, and violate core principles of equal treatment under the law, while inviting legal challenges and wasteful litigation that further burdens taxpayers,” he said.  Messages included in the indictment paint a picture of Windom appearing to threaten Power Group members to stay silent about their relationship.  In an October 11, 2017, message, Windom texted two Power Group members that one had made “a good comment to get you cut out” after that person suggested bringing another VA employee to where Windom was having drinks with a Power Group member.  “Don’t mention to another person that you know me, interact with me or have any type of relationship with me,” he wrote on August 5, 2019. One email included in the indictment appears to show that Windom was inadvertently announced to be in the audience of an event hosted by one of the Power Group members.  “Weird last night. Not your fault personally but cleanup required. Can’t say I like [Person 4’s] cavalier response to these issues either. I was already exhausted but did not want to miss your event,” he wrote in an email. “The PA announcement of me let alone [Person 4] and me was ridiculous and did not kick the evening off right. I am a very discrete person as you know.” Indictment. In January 2020, Windom sent an email to the Power Group reminding them that “loose lips sink ships.”  When one of the Power Group members expressed some concern about the contracting arrangement, Windom reacted angrily, according to a text message included in the indictment.  “If you don’t like it, get off. You can get the f**k off this ride,” Windom said.  In June and November 2021, Windom allegedly lied to federal law enforcement when they asked him if he had received any gifts from Power Group members. After being approached by investigators, Windom told Power Group members to tell law enforcement he paid for their meals, according to the indictment.  Costs of the electronic health records project have quickly climbed from the $10 billion originally estimated. The department now estimates that costs could exceed $37 billion, while the Government Accountability Office said costs could approach the hundreds of billions.  Over 4,000 veterans have been harmed due to the health record modernization, which has led to four fatalities, according to lawmakers. The Government Accountability Office has continued to pressure the VA to take steps to speed up the rollout.  The Daily Wire reached out to a publicly listed phone number for Windom and no lawyer has yet been listed yet in court records for his case. 

This article is part of Upstream, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you. *** The Masters Tournament is arguably the best week of the year. Every year in April, the grass looks a little greener, the air feels a little warmer, and baby fever is out of control thanks to the Masters Par 3 Contest. The Par 3 Contest takes place every year at the beginning of tournament week. It’s the day where the professional golfers battle in a friendly nine-hole competition with their families as the caddies. No offense to the golfers — by the way, no Par 3 winner has ever gone on to win the Masters — but that competition is all about the kids dressed in their mini Augusta caddy outfits golfing with Dad, and my heart can barely handle the cuteness. Seeing the pros go full-on “dad mode” makes me eager to make those memories one day with my family, not at Augusta obviously (my husband is more of a track guy), but in general! And I’m not the only one swooning over these adorable scenes. Here are the best moments from this year’s family-focused event. Let’s tee off with none other than returning Par 3 Contest caddy Frankie Fleetwood and his post-round interviews. “I’d like to thank everyone right now, I don’t know their names.”

Democratic California Congressman Eric Swalwell faces sexual misconduct accusations from three additional women after one of his former staffers came forward on Friday and alleged that she was raped by the lawmaker while she was drunk. After the first accuser went public with her allegations, three more women told CNN that Swalwell made unwanted advances on them or sent them unsolicited sexual messages. Ally Sammarco, a Democratic content creator, told CNN that she received nude messages from Swalwell after they connected over social media. “I truly never thought he would respond – I had like 1,000 followers at the time,” Sammarco said. “And he actually responded.” Another woman accused Swalwell of kissing her and touching her leg without her consent while they sat together at a bar. Swalwell, who is leading a crowded Democratic primary for California governor in multiple polls, denied the allegations. “These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the front-runner for governor,” Swalwell said. “For nearly 20 years, I have served the public – as a prosecutor and a congressman and have always protected women. I will defend myself with the facts and where necessary bring legal action. My focus in the coming days is to be with my wife and children and defend our decades of service against these lies.” Earlier on Friday, one of Swalwell’s former staffers accused the Democrat of sexually assaulting her on two separate occasions, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The woman shared medical records with CNN that are reportedly related to her getting tested for an STD and pregnancy after the alleged sexual assault. She also told family members and friends of the alleged assault in 2024 shortly after she says that Swalwell raped her. Swalwell has also denied those allegations, and his attorneys sent his former staffer a cease-and-desist letter. Swalwell’s Democratic allies have expressed shock following the report and pulled their support for his gubernatorial bid following the accusations. “I have read the San Francisco Chronicle’s account and I am deeply distressed by its allegations. This woman was brave to come forward, and we should take her story seriously,” Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) posted to X on Friday. “I am withdrawing my endorsement immediately, and believe that he should withdraw from the race,” he added. The California Teachers Association, a powerful union in the Golden State, called on the congressman to end his gubernatorial bid. “The allegations are incredibly disturbing and unacceptable against Rep. Swalwell. We are immediately suspending our support. Our elected board will be meeting as soon as possible to follow our union’s democratic process to determine next steps,” the union wrote. After the accusations, Swalwell’s odds to become the next California governor tanked to just 15% after hovering around 50%, according to Kalshi prediction markets.