Now that Freakier Friday successfully gave me the 2000s Disney childhood nostalgia I was craving, I especially cannot wait for the release of The Princess Diaries 3, which is officially in the works by the House of Mouse. Anne Hathaway made the announcement back in October 2024 when Crazy Rich Asians writer Adele Lim got on board to direct. Now that we’ve learned a bit more about what to expect from the sequel, the questions are flowing out of me.
Recently, Lim (who also helmed the underrated comedy Joy Ride and co-wrote Crazy Rich Asians and Raya and the Last Dragon, put out an open casting call on her Instagram, in search of the new young lead of the Princess Diaries 3. The Disney production is looking for a 15-year-old mixed race actor to play the role of Olivia Robinson, who is described as “smart, sarcastic, armored and observant” along with revealing details that the new lead will be dealing with the loss of her mother by creating a “prickly exterior,” but is ultimately a “natural born leader.” With these details in mind, I want to talk about what’s on my mind next as a longtime fan of these movies.
What Will Be Olivia's Connection To The Original Movies?
At first, I became rather stumped about who Olivia Robinson is. But, then I did some digging and I learned that in the 11th book of the Princess Diaries book series by Meg Cabot, the character was introduced. In the novel titled The Princess Diaries, Volume XI: Royal Wedding, Mia finds out that she has a 12-year-old half sister of that name whom she attempts to bring into the family. That would explain Olivia’s connection to the story, but if you follow book adaptations like I do, you know that novels and movies can sometimes have little in common.
For example, in the same book, Mia is also in the middle of planning a royal wedding with longtime boyfriend Michael Moskowitz, who, as you might recall, was her crush in the first movie, but was nowhere to be found in the sequel. I don’t necessarily expect a straight adaptation where Mia does wed her best friend’s brother Michael, because that relationship wasn’t explored past the first movie.
However, I do think it would make a lot of sense for the Princess Diaries sequel to follow some of the beats of the original with a teen finding out she’s a princess, but this time a teen princess finding out about her roots from a long lost sister rather than grandmother. And, since Olivia has just lost her own mother, finding a family with Mia would be a really sweet way to see the series progress.
Will Mia Be Mentoring Olivia To Become Princess Of Genovia?
Of course I want to know how Hathaway’s Mia Thermopolis will fit into the whole thing. Will she be a lead with Olivia or take more of a backseat? Because Hathaway is involved in the movie, I can’t imagine her not being a lead, but who knows. Either way, I would imagine there would be some funny moments in there about Olivia finding out she’s a princess and trying to prepare for all the formalities should she decide to officially become part of the royal family.
My big question is whether Mia will be mentoring Olivia to be the next Queen of Genovia or simply remain a princess without a path to a larger role? We don’t know if Mia has children of her own or what she’s been up to since she decided not to marry but still take the crown. With over two decades between the last Princess Diaries movie, the sky is really the limit regarding her life.
Did Mia Marry Chris Pine's Nicholas From Princess Diaries 2?
After Princess Diaries 2 came out and in the years following, Chris Pine’s Nicholas Devereaux has remained a fan-favorite love interest for Mia, given how much chemistry Hathaway and Pine had in the 2004 movie. Pine has been asked about it a ton over the years, with the actor saying he’s “here for it,” because it was his very first movie. Given all the love for Mia and Nicholas, I hope the writers get the hint and have them as a couple all these years later, but hey maybe she’s met someone else, rekindled things with Michael or you know, has had better things to do with her time than be a married woman and queen at the same time.
I could also see the third movie bringing Pine into the fold, but having them rekindle after a prior breakup years ago. Now, that would make my heart flutter, too. Pine’s part in the second movie is very memorable, and it feels like fans are eager for this to happen, so I’m hoping the writers are listening.
Will Julie Andrews Be Involved?
That brings me to one more burning question that I think is perhaps the biggest curiosity I have about the next movie. Will Julie Andrews reprise her role? When she talked about it in early 2024, she said she’d been asked “so many times” but “sometimes it’s best to leave a good thing alone” before saying she’d be “very happy” if they did another one but didn’t “expect” to.
The iconic actress is currently 89 years old (she'll be 90 in October 2025), and hasn’t necessarily retired. She’s been doing a lot of voice work, such as for Bridgerton and the Despicable Me movies. Given all the love for her character, I would imagine she’d return, but I am curious to what level she could be in the movie. I really hope that she isn’t just written out or that her character doesn't die in the movie. As a big fan, I’d be happy with a couple of scenes between Hathaway and Andrews, but we’ll have to see. I know I’ll be pretty disappointed if she doesn’t appear at all, but I also completely respect Andrews if she feels like her on-screen acting days are behind her.
There’s no release date for Princess Diaries 3 right now as they are in the casting process, but I can’t wait to see who they pick and see pictures once production gets underway.
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