Anne Hathaway’s rom-com success with The Idea of You is exciting for anybody awaiting the overdue threequel to a classic Disney movie she fronted back in 2001. Hathaway once again found herself amid a swoon-worthy epic romance, this time in Prime Video’s book-to-movie adaptation of Robinne Lee’s The Idea of You. In the new contemporary rom-com, Hathaway plays Soléne, a 40-year-old single mom who pursues a passionate romance with a younger man and boy band star named Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine) in the face of harsh public and personal criticism.
The Idea of You’s age-gap romance received rave reviews, impressing critics and audiences with its fresh outlook on true love and the electrifying chemistry between The Idea of You’s cast. Despite her being the face of romances like Love & Other Drugs and Becoming Jane, the actress’ new rom-com made an impression on viewers like none other before, scoring a Certified Fresh rating of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes – one of Hathaway’s best Rotten Tomatoes scores to date. Notably, for her fans, The Idea of You’s success is an exhilarating omen for her next potential romance role.
Fans had come to terms with the dormancy of The Princess Diaries franchise for over two decades until Disney made a surprising announcement in 2022 confirming The Princess Diaries 3. The franchise followed a young Mia Thermopolis as she transitioned from a socially awkward teenager to a princess in the making until later being crowned queen of the fictional country Genovia. Although Hathaway was the star of The Princess Diaries franchise as the actress who played Mia, no news has yet confirmed that she will be in the sequel’s cast.
Still, Hathaway has consistently provided optimistic updates on The Princess Diaries 3, which implies that she’s involved in some capacity and hopefully returning as Mia. Her success in The Idea of You certainly suggests that Hathaway is in a great rom-com groove and that her fans are excited to see her in such a role. It has been so long since viewers have had the opportunity to catch sight of Hathaway’s Mia traversing the worlds of royalty and romance that her recent rom-com success makes the hype for her return in The Princess Diaries 3 all the more exhilarating.
To add more to the hype, Hathaway’s return in The Princess Diaries 3 would mark a career first and a full circle moment. If she were to reprise her role as Mia, it would be the first time since her film career started in 2001 that Hathaway has performed in more than two movies of a given franchise. She’s previously performed in sequels to the animated musical Rio and Disney’s live-action Alice in Wonderland but has yet to try her hand at a threequel.
Starring in The Princess Diaries 3 would express her commitment to the role and the avid fanbase that grew up alongside Mia. Funnily enough, Hathaway, too, grew up alongside Mia, in a way, as The Princess Diaries role was her first in film. Hathaway’s movie catalog has blossomed since then – with The Idea of You‘s success being exceptional evidence – but it would still be awesome for her fans to see her return to her earliest role in Mia.