Princess Diaries 3Is on the Way — and Fans Are Torn On Whether Michael or Nicholas Should Come Back

Mar. 15, 2025

Robert Schwartzman as Michael in ‘The Princess Diaries’ (left); Chris Pine as Nicholas in ‘The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement’ (right).Photo:Ron Batzdorff/Brownhouse Prod/Botnp Inc/Kobal/Shutterstock; Shutterstock

Ron Batzdorff/Brownhouse Prod/Botnp Inc/Kobal/Shutterstock; Shutterstock

Who will win Mia Thermopolis’ heart? It’s kind of a complicated question.

In October 2024, fans learnedThe Princess Diaries 3is officially happening, and Anne Hathaway, 41, will be back to play Mia, formerly the Princess and now Queen of Genovia. But in the days since the film’s announcement, fans have been torn between two competing camps: Team Michael and Team Nicholas.

Robert Schwartzman and Anne Hathaway in 2001’s ‘The Princess Diaries’.Alamy

Alamy

In Cabot’s novels, Nicholas does not exist, and Mia ends up married to Michael. SoThe Princess Diaries 3is at a crossroads: should it bring back Pine, 44, to play Nicholas and continue the sequel’s plot, or bring back Schwartzman, 41, to keep the storyline close to the books?

Team Michael and Team Nicholas have been fighting it out online since the movie was confirmed last week.

“I’m going to be so real with you all … if Robert Schwartzman is not back as Michael Moscovitz and he and Mia aren’t living their best nerdy life together as soulmates then I DO NOT WANT IT,” one passionate fan wrote onX(formerly known as Twitter). Another userwrote, “I have not waited 20 years for princess diaries 3 to happen just so Mia and Michael don’t end up together, make it happen @disney.”

Anne Hathaway and Chris Pine in 2004’s ‘The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement’.Walt Disney/Buena Vista/Kobal/Shutterstock

Walt Disney/Buena Vista/Kobal/Shutterstock

Team Nicholas fans were just as passionate. “Whoever is writing this PLEASE have Mia and Nicholas living happily ever after,” one personpostedafter learning the third film was confirmed. Anotherwrote, “if chris pine isn’t inprincess diaries 3i will never recover from the disappointment.”

As for the two actors, both have expressed interest in returning. Pine said in an Oct. 8 interview onToday with Hoda & Jennathathe doesn’t know if he’ll be back. “I don’t know anything,” he told hostsHoda KotbandJenna Bush Hager. Both hosts — clearly members of Team Nicholas — expressed their surprise.

“Call Disney. Call [Disney CEO] Bob Iger,” Pine directed fans. “The answer is honestly I don’t know anything about it.” He added that he thought the news itself, however, was “fantastic.”

Chris Pine in 2024.Bryan Bedder/Variety via Getty

Bryan Bedder/Variety via Getty

Meanwhile, Schwartzman toldVarietyin 2022 that he would be happy to return for another movie. “People have asked me, like, ‘Would you do another one, if they brought it back? Or they brought that story back?’ Of course, if the producers and the studio felt that that story is going to live on with the same actors,” he said. He noted that it would be different withoutdirector Garry Marshall, who helmed both movies anddied in 2016.

Schwartzman also told the outlet that he initially learned he wouldn’t be in the sequel while on tour with his band, Rooney. Still, he was happy to have been part of the first one. “How cool is it to just be able to have been a part of a movie that really had an impact and still is out in the world?” he said. “That character and that love interest and relationship had an impact on audiences. And I think that’s awesome.”

Schwartzman, whosebrother is actor Jason Schwartzman and mom is actress Talia Shire, took very few acting roles afterThe Princess Diaries, and has focused on directing. He helmed2023’sThe Good Half.

Robert Schwartzman in 2019.Gary Gershoff/Getty

Gary Gershoff/Getty

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So far, Hathaway is the only confirmed cast member.She told PEOPLE in 2023that it was “thrilling” to “see the level of excitement” fans had for a third film, which at the time was in development.

“We feel the exact same, and I know it’s probably very frustrating,” she said of the two-decade wait for the sequel. “It’s a process that requires patience, and so everybody should consider themselves a part of the movie business now, because this is how long it actually takes to make things.”

Andrews, 89, toldAccess Hollywoodin 2022 that she likely would not return for a third film. “I think we know that it’s probably not going to be possible,” she explained. “It was talked about very shortly after [the second sequel] came out, but it’s now how many years since then? And I am that much older and Annie the princess, or queen, is so much older. And I am not sure where it would float or run.”

source: people.com