Confirmation, Anne Hathaway’s Comments & Everything We Know

A-list star Anne Hathaway got her start appearing as the socially awkward princess of the fictional Genovia, Mia Thermopolis, in 2001, and she could continue her tale with The Princess Diaries 3. The country of Genovia and its rulers — original queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews), princess Mia (Hathaway), and Nicholas Deveraux (Chris Pine) — haven’t graced the screens since the 2004 sequel film The Princess Diaries 2, which saw Mia transition from Princess to Queen and change many of Genovia’s sexist policies such as the lack of women in Parliament and the law on royal marriages.

Now, nearly 20 years later, the story of Mia Thermopolis and her reign over Genovia could be continued on the big screen, according to the latest ThePrincess Diaries 3 news. While the first film zeroed in on Mia as a bumbling teenager finding out for the first time that she’s actually a princess, and the second movie centered on Mia transitioning from princess to queen, the third film will presumably be set far along into Mia’s rule and could possibly even be a legacy sequel. Though The Princess Diaries 3 is currently only in its earliest development stages, some news has come to light.

The Princess Diaries 3 Latest News

Anne Hathaway Offers An Exciting Update

With the Oscar-winning megastar seemingly onboard,
The Princess Diaries 3
is more likely now than ever to actually happen.

Though the updates have been up and down in recent years, the latest news comes as a positive update on The Princess Diaries 3 from Anne Hathaway. The enticing tidbit came directly from the Mia Thermopolis star many months after she seemingly shot the prospect of a threequel down. “We’re in a good place,” said Hathaway cryptically, “That’s all I can say. There’s nothing to announce yet. But we’re in a good place.” With the Oscar-winning megastar seemingly onboard, The Princess Diaries 3 is more likely now than ever to actually happen.

The Princess Diaries 3 Is Confirmed

The Project Was First Announced In 2022

Disney announced that The Princess Diaries 3 was confirmed back in November 2022, and updates surrounding the production have been trickling out ever since. So far, Aadrita Mukerji (Supergirl) was hired to pen the screenplay, and the original Princess Diaries producer Debra Martin (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) was also announced. In addition, Melissa Stack (The Other Woman) was executive producing The Princess Diaries 3 but after years have passed, it’s unclear if any of the above names are still part of the project.

Stream
The Princess Diaries
and
The Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement
on Disney+

The Princess Diaries 3 Cast

No Names Are Officially Attached Yet

The Princess Diaries 3 cast remains unformed thus far, but previous stars have spoken out in the past about the possibility of returning. Audiences are hoping that Anne Hathaway will return as the titular princess Mia Thermopolis, and with Hathaway providing hopeful updates, she’ll likely return. The prolific Julie Andrews’ reprisal of Clarisse Renaldi is much less likely, and in an interview with Access Hollywood,Andrews stated that she probably wouldn’t be able to do the film:

I think we know that it’s probably not going to be possible. It was talked about very shortly after two [The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement] 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. In terms of us doing it, I doubt that now.

Chris Pine, who played Mia’s second love interest, Lord Nicholas Deveraux, has spoken to ET about returning, saying, “Yeah, I’m here! I’m here for it. Give me a phone call or an email.” Actor Hector Elizondo, who plays Mia’s confidante and Clarisse’s bodyguard-turned-husband Joe in the franchise, has also expressed interest in coming back (via EW). According to Elle back in 2019, Heather Matarazzo (Lilly) admitted to being on board for The Princess Diaries 3, as well as Mandy Moore (Lana).

The most likely returns for The Princess Diaries 3 include:

The Princess Diaries 3 Story Details

This would open up the potential for a legacy sequel, seeing Mia’s kids as they struggle to become fully-fledged royals just as their mother did.

There has been little The Princess Diaries 3 news regarding a potential plot, but Disney has managed to reveal a few details. Reportedly, The Princess Diaries 3 story would continue Mia’s tale as ruler of Genovia. The Princess Diaries franchise is based on a series of eponymous novels by Meg Cabot. While the first film followed the novel somewhat accurately, the second movie diverged significantly from its source material. Therefore, it’s difficult to pinpoint a specific plot from the book series that The Princess Diaries 3 could cover in full.

Since it has been two decades since The Princess Diaries 2, it’s highly likely that The Princess Diaries 3 story will delve into Mia’s family life. The plot could borrow from the books by giving Mia twins and exploring her role as a royal and mother. This would open up the potential for a legacy sequel, seeing Mia’s kids as they struggle to become fully-fledged royals just as their mother did. The Princess Diaries 3 could also choose to see Mia childless, as his her right. Regardless, the focus will be on the relatable Mia Thermopolis as The Princess Diaries 3 brings an entirely new story to the screen.