They might not be able to get Taylor Swift tickets today but The Princess Diaries fans still have a major reason to celebrate. The beloved series is getting a third installment after an eighteen-year wait and it will be a direct sequel to 2004’s The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement and not a reboot. So get ready to return to Genovia!
As of yet, star Anne Hathaway is not confirmed to return, nor our franchise regulars Julie Andrews, Heather Matarazzo, Héctor Elizondo, or Chris Pine who played Hathaway’s fiancé in the original sequel. However, sources have reported that the new film will not be a reboot, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Hathaway has publicly said that she would be interested in appearing in a third film, should one be developed.
Hathaway starred in the 2001 original and its 2004 sequel. The franchise proved to be a surprise hit with audiences despite its “G” rating and helped launch Hathaway into Hollywood stardom. The new script is being written by television veteran Aadrita Mukerji who has penned episodes of Reacher, Supergirl, Scorpion, and the rebooted Quantum Leap.
Debra Martin Chase, who produced the first two films, will be returning as producer. It’s not known whether Hathaway’s character, should she appear in the film, will be the main character. Having ended the previous sequel with being not only engaged to be married but also crowned Queen she is no longer a princess. It may be likely that in order to make the title appropriate (not to mention to appeal to the teen market) that Hathaway and Pine, both now in their forties, may appear as parents to the next generation of Genovian royalty — which means we may see Hathaway step into the mentor role that her grandmother, played by Julie Andrews, assumed in the first two films.
