Malaysian filmmaker Adele Lim (left) is set to direct 'Princess Diaries 3'. Photos: Adele Lim/Instagram, Handout
Before Hollywood A-lister Anne Hathaway was a single mother romancing a hotshot pop star in 2024’s popular romance film The Idea Of You, she was a teenage princess.
The 41-year-old American actress made her film debut in the coming-of-age Disney comedy The Princess Diaries (2001) and also starred in its 2004 sequel.
She played Mia Thermopolis, a regular American teenager who discovers she is the sole heir to the fictional European kingdom of Genovia, and has to learn the ways of being a princess. English actress Julie Andrews played Mia’s regal grandmother, the Queen of Genovia.
The movies are based on American author Meg Cabot’s popular young-adult novel series of the same name.
Now, Hathaway is returning to her roots and going home to Genovia.
She confirmed that she will be part of the upcoming movie The Princess Diaries 3 in a video posted to her social media channels on Oct 5.
In the video, Hathaway, dressed in a mustard-yellow sweater and sporting sunglasses, intercuts famous scenes of herself and Andrews exclaiming, “Shut up!”, as she gestures the numbers one, two and three with her fingers, referencing the two released movies and the upcoming sequel.
The clip included a screenshot of a report by Hollywood trade magazine Variety announcing her return to the franchise.
She captioned the post: “Miracles happen. Back to Genovia with Adele Lim, Disney and Somewhere Pictures. The fairy tale continues.”
Malaysian filmmaker Adele Lim, who wrote the screenplay of Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and directed the Asian-led comedy Joy Ride (2023), is set to direct. Hathaway will produce the movie under her production company Somewhere Pictures.
It is not yet known if Andrews will reprise her role in the third instalment. In recent years, the 89-year-old star has mainly been taking on voice roles such as that of Lady Whistledown in Netflix’s period romance series Bridgerton (2020 to present), instead of making physical appearances in films.
According to Variety, Lim said in a statement: “As a diehard fan of the original Princess Diaries, I’m beyond excited to be a part of bringing the third iteration of this beloved franchise to life.”
The Princess Diaries celebrates and shares with global audiences the core tenets of “female power, joy and mentorship”, she added.
Another one of Hathaway’s popular movies in the 2000s is making a comeback too.
A sequel to The Devil Wears Prada (2006), an iconic workplace comedy-drama set against the backdrop of a fashion magazine, is in the works.
In the film, Hathaway played an assistant to Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), the much-feared editor-in-chief of the fictional Runway magazine. The movie was based on a book of the same name by American writer Lauren Weisberger. She once worked as an assistant to famed editor-in-chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour, who is said to be the inspiration for Streep’s character.
It is not yet known if Hathaway will reprise her role in the sequel. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
