Anne Hathaway is going back to Genovia. After years of on-again, off-again rumors, the actress officially confirmed in 2024 that a third Princess Diaries film is in active development, with director Adele Lim attached to helm the project. The fairy tale isn't finished yet, and casting has already begun to fill out the royal court.
Hathaway announced the news on Instagram with characteristic optimism, noting that she would reunite with Lim to continue Mia Thermopolis's story. During an April 2026 interview with Entertainment Weekly, she elaborated on the project's current status. "We're constantly working on it," Hathaway said, adding that her team has been "chipping away at the script" because audiences clearly want the film to happen. She tempered expectations slightly by noting the movie is not yet greenlit or formally confirmed by the studio, but momentum appears genuine.
The source of that momentum comes partly from franchise fatigue working in reverse. Hathaway pointed to her recent experience with The Devil Wears Prada 2 as a cautionary tale about high expectations. "If you're going to do it, you have to knock it out of the park," she said, signaling that the creative team won't rush the script or production.
Who's Coming Back?
Hathaway will definitely return as Mia, the reluctant princess at the story's heart. Beyond her, the cast picture gets murkier. Julie Andrews, who played the imperious Queen Clarisse Renaldi in the first two films, has essentially ruled herself out. When asked in 2020 whether she'd return, Andrews said she'd be "up for" it. But by 2022, her position had shifted. "I think it would be too late to do it now," she told The Hollywood Reporter. "It's too far down the line to go back to it." She left the door slightly ajar by calling it a "lovely thought," but her reluctance appears firm.
However, other key players are confirmed. Author Meg Cabot, who wrote the original book series, revealed during a BookCon panel that both Robert Schwartzman (Michael Moscovitz) and Chris Pine (Nicholas Deveraux) are in the script. Cabot teased that Pine had publicly denied his involvement, but assured fans he's definitely part of the cast. "There's a part for everybody, because there's a thing that happens where everyone has to show up," she said.
In August 2025, director Adele Lim posted an open casting call seeking an actor to play Olivia Robinson, a 15-year-old character. Fans of the book series immediately recognized the significance. In The Princess Diaries, Volume XI: Royal Wedding, Mia discovers a half-sister named Olivia, born from a secret affair between Mia's father, Phillipe, and Olivia's mother. After Olivia's mother dies, Mia pursues custody when she learns her half-sister is being mistreated by other family members. The casting call suggests this storyline will anchor the third film.
Production timing remains unclear. During BookCon, Cabot joked about the filming delays. "I don't know when they're going to film it, because Anne Hathaway is making a million movies right now," she said. Cabot added that a castle has been rented and is "sitting there waiting" for the production to finally roll cameras. "One of these days she's going to go to the castle... movie number three, it's going to be amazing," Cabot promised.
No trailer exists yet since filming hasn't begun. The earliest fans could realistically expect to see the film would likely be well into 2027 or beyond, barring any unexpected acceleration of the production schedule.
Author Jessica Williams: "The Princess Diaries 3 has all the ingredients for a win, but the glacial pace of development is testing our patience."
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