The Princess Diaries 3 Is Officially Casting A New Character

The original The Princess Diaries, starring a then-unknown Anne Hathaway and the iconic Julie Andrews, was only expected to be a modest hit when it debuted in 2001. However, its runaway commercial success spawned a sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, in 2004. Although a capstone to make it a trilogy was discussed, it never got off the ground... until now. The Princess Diaries 3 is reportedly in development, so get ready for another trip to Genovia.

Back in 2022, things were not looking hopeful for a third film. When Julie Andrews (who played Queen Clarisse in the first two films) was honored with an AFI Life Achievement Award, she shot down rumors of a three-quel. Noting that acclaimed director Garry Marshall, who helmed the first two, had passed away in 2016, she told The Hollywood Reporter, “It’s a lovely thought, but I don’t think it would probably be possible.”

Someone should have told the former Mary Poppins, “Everything is possible — even the impossible.” The Hollywood Reporter reported in November 2022 that Disney is returning to the world of The Princess Diaries. Since then, Anne Hathaway has confirmed her involvement, and Adele Lim has signed on to direct the project.

Here are all the details.

There’s Already A Script

Even after another movie failed to materialize in the late aughts, Meg Cabot, the author of the book the film is based on, held out hope, saying in 2017 that there were scripts out there, and people were willing to do it “to honor Marshall.”

Before he passed away, Marshall said the film would take place in New York City. “I was with Anne Hathaway a couple weeks ago. It looks like we want to do The Princess Diaries 3 in Manhattan,” he told People in 2016.

In 2019, when Disney+ launched and a spate of reboots, reimaginings, and new installments seemed to be cropping up almost every day, Anne Hathaway confirmed there was a script for a new movie, and she was in if everything came together correctly.

But it took a couple of years to get those stars to align. According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Princess Diaries 3 is finally coming together, with writer Aadrita Mukerji (Supergirl) reportedly continuing the Anne Hathaway-led film series, rather than rebooting it.

Anne Hathaway Gave A Promising Update

There wasn’t any real talk about the third movie in the couple of years since it was announced, but Hathaway finally provided an update in 2024. “We’re in a good place,” the star told V Magazine when asked about the film’s development status. “There’s nothing to announce yet. But we’re in a good place,” Hathaway added.

In October 2024, Hathaway posted an exciting Instagram reel about the third film. She shared a Variety headline, announcing Adele Lim as the director, and added her own two cents: “Shut up!”

At the time, Lim — who co-wrote the 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians — shared her excitement for the project. “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,” she told Variety in a statement. “We look forward to celebrating its core tenants of female power, joy and mentorship with audiences worldwide.”

Julie Andrews Had Mixed Feelings About A Third Film

Before Lim’s announcement, Andrews expressed her doubts about a third film. Back in 2020, Andrews told CBS, “I’m getting awfully old and crotchety. I’m not sure if it’s the right timing, but I think to work with Annie would be lovely again. And yeah, sure I would be up for it.”

Years later, Andrews said she thought the project had been “shelved” — and she seemed OK with it. “It’s quite a long time now since the two Diaries were done, and I’m not sure, but sometimes it’s best to leave a good thing alone. I don’t like it when people milk and milk and milk the subject, you know, ’til it’s dead,” she told Today in April 2024.

Still, she was open to the possibility of revisiting Queen Clarisse. “I’d be very happy if we did do another one, but I don’t expect to,” Andrews added to Today at the time.

Hathaway, for her part, has been consistently rooting for a third film and Andrews’ involvement. “I would more than entertain it, I’m pulling for it. If there’s any way to get Julie Andrews involved, I think we would make it work. We would go to where she was and put a green screen behind her and just make it happen,” she told Entertainment Tonight in October 2022.

Chris Pine May Not Be Involved

Chris Pine, who played Hathaway’s love interest in the second film, may not be returning for a third movie. According to the actor, he was not contacted about reprising his role. “The first time I heard about it was on the internet when someone sent me a screenshot,” he said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in October 2024.

“It’s been 20 years. It’s been a long time. Can’t believe it’s been that long. But I have more people probably come up to me about that than anything I’ve ever done. And I’m very happy. It was an incredible experience,” Pine added at the time.

Around the same time, he shared a similar update on the Today Show. When asked about joining the cast, he quipped, “Call Disney. Call [Disney CEO] Bob Iger. The answer is I gotta see. I don’t know anything about it. I think it’s fantastic.”

There’s An Open Casting Call

On Aug. 21, Lim shared an open casting call for the film on Instagram. “TO ALL PRINCESSES-IN-THE-MAKING, consider this your formal invitation to the ball. Can’t wait to see you. ❤️👑😎,” she wrote alongside the listing.

Disney is currently trying to fill the role of Olivia Robinson, a 15-year-old who recently lost her mother. The announcement seemingly confirms that the plot of the third movie will be based on Cabot’s book The Princess Diaries, Volume XI: Royal Wedding.

But there’s always a chance they’ll deviate from the novel. In 2017, Cabot told Entertainment Weekly that she views the films and books “as two different universes.”