The 2001 film The Princess Diaries and its 2004 sequel Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement remain some of Disney’s most popular films of the early 2000s. Now it’s been revealed that The Princess Diaries 3 has entered early development at Disney.
This news, shared via THR, states that writer Aadrita Mukerji is currently writing the screenplay for the film. Furthermore, it’s been reported that the project “is a continuation of the Anne Hathaway led series of films rather than a reboot.” This suggests that it really is The Princess Diaries 3 in development and not a new take on the original material.
As for Anne Hathaway, who previously starred in the preceding two films of the franchise, it remains unclear if she’ll appear in the new film. However, she’s previously stated her desire to come back for a new entry, and THR also notes that “the hope is she would return should the potential new film move forward beyond the script stage.” So, with that in mind, it seems more than likely that Anne Hathaway could appear in the highly-anticipated continuation. At least, if it gets past the script stage, that is.
Garry Marshall directed both of the original Princess Diaries films before his death in 2016. As such, a director has yet to be attached to this new entry. However, producer Debra Martin Chase will return to produce the third film following her work as producer on the first two entries. Additionally, Melissa Stack is attached as an executive producer.
Hopefully we’ll have more news on the project soon. But, given the early stages that the film is in, it could be some time before additional information is unveiled. As such, we’ll have to wait and see what happens. But it’s certainly nice to know that Disney wants to craft a direct sequel to the original films rather than an unrelated reboot. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for more updates as we have them.