Julie Andrews has finally spoken out about the rumored third Princess Diaries movie. The Mary Poppins legend had some sad news about those hoping she would reprise her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi, as she believes she will not be involved. Last month, Disney reportedly hired a writer for The Princess Diaries 3, but neither Andrews nor Anne Hathaway had officially signed on yet.
“I think we know that it’s probably not going to be possible,” Andrews, 87, said on Access Hollywood while promoting her new children’s book with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton. Andrews noted that it has already been a long time since The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement hit theaters, so she is unsure if a third film would “float or run.” Hamilton chimed in, noting that a third film could happen with a new generation of characters. Andrews agreed, but she doubted a Princess Diaries 3 with her and Hathaway would happen.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Aadrita Mukerji was hired to write Princess Diaries 3 in November. Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that the film would be a “continuation” of the story from the first two films. Hathaway, who has repeatedly voiced support for making a new Diaries movie, has not signed on. Disney reportedly has hope that she would if the project moves beyond the script stage. Debra Martin Chase, who produced the first two movies, is producing the third with Melissa Stack (Godmothered) as executive producer.
The Princess Diaries hit theaters in 2001 and is based on the book by Meg Cabot. Hathaway starred as Mia Thermopolis, an American teenager who learns that she is the heir of a fictional European kingdom. Andrews played her estranged grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi, who takes it upon herself to prepare Mia for life as a royal. It was directed by the late Garry Marshall and was a surprise box office smash hit, grossing $165.3 million worldwide.
Andrews, Hathaway, and Marshall reunited for the 2004 sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. Although the sequel was not as well-received as the original, it still grossed over $134 million worldwide. Royal Engagement is notable for being written by a pre-Grey’s Anatomy Shonda Rhimes and marking Chris Pine’s film debut. Rhimes’ script was not based on Cabot’s books. The late Whitney Houston was also a producer on both films.
While promoting Armageddon Time, Hathaway told Entertainment Tonight she would “more than entertain” the idea of a Princess Diaries 3. “If there’s any way to get Julie Andrews involved, I think we would make it work,” Hathaway added. “We would go to where she was and put a green screen behind her and just make it happen.” Meanwhile, Andrews told THR in June she thought it was “too late” to make another one following Marhsall’s death in 2016.
