The Princess Diaries 3 Writer, Producer, And More Details

Miracles happen once in a while — if you believe. A third "Princess Diaries" movie is officially in development at Disney.

Back in November 2022, it was revealed that a third "Princess Diaries" film — which would follow the 2001 original and the 2004 sequel "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" — is in the works. Not only that, but it's a continuation of the story fans already love and will hopefully follow Princess Mia Thermopolis of Genovia (Anne Hathaway), and it's definitely not a reboot of the same rags-to-riches tale.

Based on the long-running and wildly popular series of novels by Meg Cabot, "The Princess Diaries" tells the story of Mia, a young, unpopular high schooler suddenly thrust into the international spotlight when she learns that she's the heir apparent to the throne of Genovia. Aided by her grandmother Clarisse Renaldi, the queen of Genovia (Julie Andrews), and close family and friends, Mia has to decide whether or not she's willing to change her entire life, relocate from San Francisco, and claim her birthright.

 The second film sees Mia five years after the first and back in Genovia, where she realizes she has to get married quickly in order to legally claim the throne as Clarisse steps down. Luckily, Nicholas Devereaux (Chris Pine) presents himself as a potential suitor, though they have some hurdles to overcome when Mia and Nicholas realize their families are feuding. So what could happen in the third film? When will it come out, and who's on the creative team?

As of this writing, there's no clear way to tell when the third "Princess Diaries" film might come out. It's been decades since the first two hit theaters, so this third movie will be a welcome boost of nostalgia for fans wondering what Mia, Nicholas, Clarisse, and the other characters have been up to since the events of the second film. As a reminder, Nicholas and Mia get married at the end of "The Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement," and Mia opens a permanent home for children in need in her new role as Queen of Genovia.

The reports surrounding "The Princess Diaries 3" note that the movie is in the works, but production definitely hasn't begun yet. Though no actors are confirmed for the third movie just yet, the creative team is mostly set, with a writer and a couple of producers preparing "The Princess Diaries 3" for production.

Aadrita Mukerji, known for her work on projects like "Reacher," "Supergirl," and the reboot of "Quantum Leap," was tapped to write "The Princess Diaries 3," according to outlets like Deadline. In 2022, the same publication exclusively revealed that Mukerji inked a huge deal with Universal Television — a deal that included "Quantum Leap" — so her star is clearly on the rise, and "The Princess Diaries 3" will certainly help to put her on the map.

On the production side, Deadline also reported that Debra Martin Chase will return for the third film after producing the first two all those years ago. She'll be joined by Melissa K. Stack, named as the movie's executive producer, who has some experience with writing herself — she's known for penning the 2014 romantic comedy "The Other Woman" starring Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. The creative team is set, but there's still a lingering question: are any of the movie's stars set to return just yet?

Once again, as of this writing, no actors have officially signed on to "The Princess Diaries 3" just yet. There's still hope, though, especially for the movie's star Anne Hathaway. Just before the film was officially announced, the actor told Entertainment Tonight that she'd be down to play Princess Mia again ... and hoped the opportunity would present itself. "I would more than entertain it, I'm pulling for it," Hathaway said at the time. "If there's any way to get Julie Andrews involved, I think we would make it work."

Andrews, however, may not want to come back. In June of 2022, The Hollywood Reporter interviewed the stage and screen legend and asked if she'd revisit "The Princess Diaries," and she demurred, largely because the film's original director, Garry Marshall, died in 2016. "I think it would be too late to do it now," Andrews said. "There was talk of a sequel many, many years ago. But I don't think it ever came to pass. And Garry then did leave us. [For] especially me, it's too far down the line now to go back to it. It's a lovely thought, but I don't think it would probably be possible." At the time, a sequel wasn't in the works — but now, hopefully, Andrews would consider it.

How about Chris Pine? In March 2023, his answer was a resounding yes. "Yeah, I'm here! I'm here for it," he told Entertainment Tonight. "Give me — give me a phone call or an email." He did say, though, that he hoped his hair would be slightly less enormous for the third film.

Whether you missed the first two "Princess Diaries" films entirely or just want to revisit them to imagine what might happen in the third movie, you're in luck — they're available on two major streaming services. If you have Hulu, you can watch both "The Princess Diaries" and "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" now, but they're also on another service in case you're not subscribed to the platform.

Unsurprisingly, both movies are available to watch on Disney+ as well — Buena Vista Pictures was a previous brand name for parts of the Walt Disney Company. The third movie is being backed by Disney, so clearly, the future of the franchise lies with the House of Mouse. 

The first two "Princess Diaries" movies aren't just fun romps; they're also an early staple in Anne Hathaway's career, and these days, she's firmly on Hollywood's A-list. If you're planning a movie marathon centered around the Oscar-winning actor or just want to see Hathaway with fake frizzy hair, stream the "Princess Diaries" movies now.