After nearly two decades of talks, The Princess Diaries 3 is finally in development at Disney. The franchise revolves around Anne Hathaway's Mia Thermopolis, an unpopular teenager who discovered she was the heir to the European kingdom of Genovia. The Princess Diaries movies are hailed as one of Hathaway's launch points in her career, with the young star scoring widespread acclaim for her performance in the first film, while garnering positive reviews in the poorly received sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.
The Hollywood Reporter has brought word that Disney is officially developing The Princess Diaries 3. The project, which is described as being a continuation of Hathaway's story, is set to be penned by Aadrita Mukerji. At the time of writing, Hathaway has not signed a deal to return for the sequel, though original producer Debra Martin is returning for The Princess Diaries 3 while The Other Woman's Melissa Stack is executive producing.
How Princess Diaries 3 Could Continue Queen Mia's Story
Given The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement deviated from Meg Cabot's source novels, it will be interesting to see how a potential Princess Diaries 3 will continue Hathaway's Queen Mia's story. The most recent novel in the series, Volume XI: Royal Wedding did recapture some of the same plot elements of the 2004 sequel, namely Mia getting married, albeit with her longtime love interest Michael Moscovitz instead of racing against time to ensure Mia keeps the rule of Genovia. Additionally, the 2015 novel saw Mia opening a youth community center, a similar sentiment to the children's home Hathaway's character opened with Abigail Breslin's Carolina at the end of The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.
However, with The Princess Diaries, Volume XI: Royal Wedding still having Mia's father, Phillipe, alive and causing scandal upending the protagonist's life, the third film in development would likely have to craft an original story versus turning to the source material. With nearly 20 years gone since the previous film, audiences have been eager to see what Mia's life has become, including an update on her relationship with Chris Pine's Nicholas Devereaux, and whether her outreach to Genovian or American youth has expanded past the one children's home opened. Another potential plot element to be explored in a Princess Diaries 3 could still borrow from Royal Wedding in its reveal of Mia being pregnant with twins, with the long-awaited threequel exploring what parenthood is like for Hathaway's beloved character as a royal leader.
Could Julie Andrews Return For Princess Diaries 3?
While eyes are sure to be on a confirmation of whether Hathaway will return for the film, the other major question for The Princess Diaries 3 is whether Julie Andrews will return for the sequel. Though still active in the field, Andrews has primarily turned towards voice work over the past decade, lending her talents to everything from Bridgerton to Aquaman and Despicable Me. With her last live-action film being the critically panned Tooth Fairy, and Queen Clarisse being one of her most memorable roles in audiences' minds, one can hope she will return for The Princess Diaries 3 along with Hathaway should the film move forward.
Source: THR