It’s time to book your flight to Genovia – on 15 November, The Hollywood Reporter exclusively revealed that a brand new Princess Diaries film was officially in the works at Disney.
The confirmation was welcome news to fans of the franchise who’ve been waiting almost two decades for the return of Anne Hathaway’s awkward high schooler-turned-monarch Mia Thermopolis, but rumours of another sequel have, of course, been swirling for years. Back in 2016, Garry Marshall, the director of the first film and its delightful follow-up The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, discussed the possibility of a third film, but plans were temporarily shelved following his death later that year. Talks slowly resumed over the next few years and during a TV appearance in 2019, Hathaway confirmed that there was in fact a script for the third instalment. “I want to do it, Julie [Andrews] wants to do it, Debra Martin Chase, our producer, wants to do it,” she said. “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.”
It’s a surprise, then, to learn that, per The Hollywood Reporter’s sources, Hathaway does not yet have a deal to appear in The Princess Diaries 3, but something tells us that it’s only a matter of time before the Oscar winner formally enters the fold. Just last month, when asked about the project, she said: “I would more than entertain it, I’m pulling for it.”
However, what we do already know is that Debra Martin Chase, a veteran of the first two films, will be taking on producing duties, and Aadrita Mukerji (Scorpion, Supergirl, Reacher) has penned the script. Also, to quell the fears of purists, sources have added that the film will be a continuation of the existing series rather than a reboot.
Several questions now remain. Will Julie Andrews, who despite voicing Bridgerton’s Lady Whistledown has not appeared on screen since 2017, reprise her role as the always poised, scrupulously diplomatic former Queen Clarisse? And what about Heather Matarazzo’s quirky best friend Lily, Chris Pine’s dashing Nicholas Devereaux, or Mandy Moore’s scathing cheerleader Lana Thomas from the first film (the latter recently said she’d “love to” make an appearance)? Whatever happens, we’ve got our fingers crossed for more makeovers, glittering balls, brutal quips, side-splitting set pieces and plenty of mattress surfing.
Editor
Radhika SethCredit
Lead image: IMDb
