It’s been nearly two years since The Princess Diaries 3 was first announced, and we finally have some updates.
While fans of the beloved franchise have been clamoring for a third film since The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement was released in 2004, the prospect seemed unlikely as years went by—especially following the death of director Garry Marshall in 2016.
It was Anne Hathaway who renewed hope in 2019, announcing that she and Julie Andrews were down to rekindle the iconic dynamic between awkward teen princess Mia Thermopolis and her regal grandmother, Clarisse Marie Grimaldi Renaldo. “I want to do it; Julie wants to do it; Debra Martin Chase, our producer, wants to do it,” she said on Watch What Happens Live. “We all really want it to happen. It’s just we don’t want to do it unless it’s perfect, because we love it just as much as you guys love it.”
However, when The Hollywood Reporter reported that a third film was in the works at Disney+ in November 2022, Hathaway’s return was not officially confirmed. Of course, it’s impossible to imagine the threequel without the true Princess of Genovia—and now we don’t have to. Here’s everything we know about The Princess Diaries 3.
Anne Hathaway is returning to Genovia
On October 4, Hathway confirmed the exciting news on social media. Using the track “Miracles Happen (When You Believe),” Hathaway posted some clips from the original film before adding her own “shut up!”
She captioned the post, “Miracles happen ✨👑 Back to Genovia with @Disney Studios & @Somewhere Pictures. The fairy tale continues ❤️🔥.”
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Of course, this shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. She hinted at her involvement back in April, telling V Magazine, “We’re in a good place. There’s nothing to announce yet. But we’re in a good place.”
Who else is involved?
When the threequel was first announced, it was revealed that Debra Martin Chase would be returning to the franchise as a producer. While original reports claimed Aadrita Mukerji (Scorpion, Supergirl, Reacher) had penned a script, Variety now reports that Princess Diaries 3 will be written by Flora Greeson (The High Note).
On October 4, Variety also revealed that Adele Lim has been tapped to direct Princess Diaries 3. Lim is a writer and producer known for Joy Ride, Crazy Rich Asians, and Raya and the Last Dragon. “As a diehard fan of the original Princess Diaries, I’m beyond excited to be a part of bringing the third iteration of this beloved franchise to life,” Lim said in a statement. “We look forward to celebrating its core tenets of female power, joy, and mentorship with audiences worldwide.”
Is Chris Pine coming back?
Great question. The end of Princess Diaries 2 saw Mia coming together with Genovian aristocrat Nicholas, played by Chris Pine. When the threequel was still in early development in May 2024, Pine told Entertainment Weekly, “‘Princess Diaries 3, where is it?’ Have you been reading my diary? I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything about it.” He added, “You know, like, what it would be? It would be like a Luca Guadagnino film, [he] directs Princess Diaries 3. Now that is fire.”
After TPD3 was officially announced, Pine reiterated that he doesn’t know nothing about nothing. Appearing on The Today Show, he said, “I don’t know anything,” per Variety, adding, “Call Disney! Call Bob Iger!” Asked if he would be coming back, he nonanswered, “The answer is I’ve gotta see… I don’t know anything about it. I think it’s fantastic.”
What about Julie Andrews?
TBD. While Andrews voices Lady Whistledown on Bridgerton, the 89-year-old actor has not appeared on screen since 2017. “I think we know that it’s probably not going to be possible,” Andrews told Access Hollywood in December 2022. “It was talked about very shortly after [the second sequel] came out, but it’s now how many years since then? And I am that much older and Annie, the princess or queen, is so much older. And I am not sure where it would float or run.”
Andrews also told Entertainment Weekly back in 2022 that she did not want to return to the franchise due to Marshall’s absence.
What about everyone else?
It’s unclear if Heather Matarazzo, Robert Schwartzman, or Mandy Moore will return to the franchise, though Moore doesn’t think high school bully Lana Thomas should make an appearance without some sort of redemption arc.
“I don’t think it would make sense for my character, the high school bully, to appear,” Moore told Elle in 2017. “Maybe I would make some quick cameo. I would like to see this woman evolve. If I’m going to be involved, I would be down for a cameo—maybe she could make amends with Mia and apologize for being a bully when she was younger. She was insecure, going through a difficult time in her life and [has now] reflected on why that wasn’t okay.”
She echoed that thought on The Drew Barrymore Show in August 2022, suggesting Lana could have “turned her life around” become “really good friends” with Mia Thermopolis. It may be worth pointing out that although the second movie skipped straight past Mia’s remaining high school years, in the Meg Cabot book series that the first was based on, Mia and Lana do become friends.
Originally published in Glamour.com