Anne Hathaway fans were excited to find out that a sequel to the actress’ 2006 movie The Devil Wears Prada is in the works, and now there’s more reason to celebrate as it seems the award-winning actress has just confirmed that the highly-anticipated installment for one of her most iconic movies is finally happening after two decades.
Hathaway’s breakthrough role in Hollywood came in 2001 when she portrayed the role of Mia Thermopolis — a teenager who finds out she’s the next heir to the throne of the fictional country of Genovia — in The Princess Diaries. The movie was based on author Meg Cabot’s young adult novel with the same title and also starred Julie Andrews who played Thermopolis’ grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi. In 2004, the sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, debuted in theaters, and Hathaway and Andrews reprised their roles as the beloved royals of Genovia. Since then, fans have been clamoring for a third installment, but there haven’t been any concrete announcements regarding the project… until now.
The Princess Diaries 3 is officially confirmed and in development
On Oct. 5, Hathaway posted the news on her Instagram account using one of the most memorable lines in the movie, “Shut up!” She captioned the post, “Miracles happen… The fairytale continues.”
In a 2019 guest appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Hathaway answered a fan question about the possibility of The Princess Diaries 3 happening. The actress confirmed that a script for a third movie exists and she, Andrews, and producer Debra Martin Chase all want it to happen, but they’re waiting for the right moment. “We don’t want to do it unless it’s perfect because we love it as much as you guys love it… we don’t want to deliver anything until it’s ready, but we’re working on it,” she replied.
While Hathaway was excited about the prospect of making the next movie, Andrews was a bit on the fence about it. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2022, she expressed that although it’s a lovely idea, it might be a little “too late,” especially since the director, Garry Marshall, passed away in 2016. In April 2024, Andrews told Today that she’s been asked numerous times to reprise her role but she thought it best “to leave a good thing alone,” especially since it has been two decades since the last movie. “I’d be very happy if we did do another one. But I don’t expect to,” she added.
On Oct. 4, 2024, Deadline reported that a director has been chosen for The Princess Diaries 3, and fans have never been more excited.
Adele Lim is set to direct the third installment
Malaysian screenwriter and director Adele Lim will take the helm on The Princess Diaries 3. She’s most known for her work as the screenwriter for Crazy Rich Asians and Disney’s animated movie Raya and the Last Dragon, and she made her directorial debut with the 2023 movie Joy Ride. Lim told Deadline that she’s a “diehard fan” of The Princess Diaries and is ecstatic about directing the third installment.
“We look forward to celebrating its core tenants of female power, joy, and mentorship with audiences worldwide.”
It isn’t clear whether Julie Andrews will be reprising her role as Clarisse Renaldi, but The Princess Diaries 3 is expected to continue the storyline after the second movie’s plot. So, in case you are a devoted Anne Hathaway fan, it has now been confirmed that staying calm until both these films hit theaters is not an option.