Anne Hathaway Revealed Adele Lim Will Direct Princess Diaries 3. Here's Why She's The Perfect Pick

Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
(Image credit: Disney)

Girls, dreams do come true, and that was proven today by the fact that Princess Diaries 3 just took a massive step forward by finding its director. While there’s been chatter about a threequel for years, and Anne Hathaway just celebrated Princess Diaries 2 turning 20, there wasn’t much movement on the anticipated third film. However, now Hathaway herself has confirmed that Adele Lim will be directing the upcoming flick, and I can’t get over how perfect this choice is!

Adele Lim Will Direct Princess Diaries 3

For years, the cast of Princess Diaries has been asked about a third film, and they haven’t really had updates. Well, now we have a massive one. In an incredibly fun TikTok, Anne Hathaway showed clips from the first two films before finally announcing that “miracles happen,” and a third movie is in the works. Check it out:

@annehathaway

♬ original sound - Anne Hathaway

Along with noting that Disney and Somewhere Pictures are behind the film, the Mia actress also announced that Adele Lim will be helming it.

For a bit of background, Lim is a director, producer and writer who worked on movies like Crazy Rich Asians, Raya and the Last Dragon and Joy Ride. Princess Diaries 3 will mark the second film she's directed, and I couldn’t be more excited for her and this movie.

Here’s Why I’m So On Board With Adele Lim Directing Princess Diaries 3

The filmography listed above is the reason why Adele Lim is the perfect person to lead Princess Diaries' next movie. Specifically, her work on one of the best rom-coms ever, Crazy Rich Asians, and one of my favorite comedies of 2023, Joy Ride, has me extra hyped for her to direct the Anne Hathaway-led film.

Joy Ride is a wonderfully raunchy movie all about female friendship that is genuinely hilarious and heartfelt. Considering Princess Diaries 3 will take place two decades after the second film, and its audience is also 20 years older than they were in 2004, a more mature and grown-up story that’s also funny and charming feels necessary. If Lim, who directed wrote and produced Joy Ride, can bring some of her magic from that film, Princess Diaries will probably get the fresh twist it needs.

Along with directing, producing and writing Joy Ride, Lim also wrote the script for Crazy Rich Asians. I love how the 2018 rom-com isn’t about a couple’s origin story, it picks up when they’re a well-established and serious couple. I also adore that it focuses on how their families impact their relationship. Since I assume Princess Diaries 3 will pick up with Mia well into her reign as queen and hopefully still in a relationship with Chris Pine's Nicholas, I can see the film having a tone and themes that are similar to Crazy Rich Asians.

Overall, I love that Adele Lim is getting the chance to direct a film as big as this, and her previous work easily proves why she got the gig.

So, now that we have this incredible creative leading the film, start crossing your fingers that we get official confirmation that Julie Andrews will be back and Chris Pine will return to the franchise that changed his life (Princess Diaries 2 was his first film, by the way). Then, once the whole gang is back together, we’ll be truly ready to return to Genovia for another wonderful story about the queen and her loved ones.

At the moment, Princess Diaries 3 does not have a release date. So, for now, you can stream the first two movies with a Disney+ subscription. We’ll also be sure to keep you posted as we learn more about this exciting film that’s being helmed by a wonderful director.

Riley Utley
Weekend Editor

Riley Utley is the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. She has written for national publications as well as daily and alt-weekly newspapers in Spokane, Washington, Syracuse, New York and Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated with her master’s degree in arts journalism and communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Since joining the CB team she has covered numerous TV shows and movies -- including her personal favorite shows Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She also has followed and consistently written about everything from Taylor Swift to Fire Country, and she's enjoyed every second of it.