What's Got Twitter Excited About 'The Princess Diaries 3'?

Anne Hathaway and Chris Pine's 'Princess Diaries 2' was released 18 years ago.

18 years after the release of Princess Diaries 2, Disney announced that the third instalment for the film is in the works. In a world where sequels are a dime a dozen, not many people have high expectations from the film. But the reverberating anticipation for the film is there nonetheless. After all, there is a reason why multinational media companies churn out these predominantly forgettable films – it’s a money-making machine capitalising on our nostalgia for our childhood favourites. 

But it’s also essential to note that some sequels that have released over the years have been highly celebrated both critically and commercially. Top Gun: Maverick (2022) or Blade Runner 2049 (2017), for instance, are well-crafted films that do justice to their predecessors. 

Fortunately or unfortunately, a film does not need to be good in order to be a success and seeing as Princess Diaries was never critically acclaimed, to begin with, we can safely deep-dive into Twitter's deep-seated nostalgia for our unlikely Princess, her potential lover and more.

Anne, Julie and Chris - The Internet Fiercely Wants The Old Cast To Return

The internet has gone berserk talking about the return of the leading pair from the second film. The stars of the film, Anne Hathaway and Chris Pine had some scintillating chemistry and the internet would be sorely disappointed if Chirs and Anne don't return.

But more importantly it's Julie's return that people are anticipating. And with good reason, she was one of the best parts of the films. Her balance to be both traditional and modern, in the film, kept things interesting.

Finding Comfort In The Old

There is a reason why we rewatch our favourite sitcoms - it's comforting, never disappointing and we already know the plot. So it does not come as a surprise that the majority of these hyperbolic tweets demand the return of the old cast while simultaneously expressing their deep excitement to see their beloved Genovia revived in all its glory.

These Coming-Of-Age Films Had The Best Tropes

Not all tropes are problematic. Although, some of them are, especially the one in the first film where she gets a makeover. Out with the spectacles and curly hair in with the straight-hair sans glasses. As a kid the transformation scene may have been exciting but it's glaringly problematic now.

But some tropes are always enjoyable. 'Enemies to Lovers' is a classic example of how some tropes add to the entertainment quotient of the film and manage to make it better without making the film drab. And the second film of the franchise got that right.

It's A Pop-Culture Staple

You might not have watched the films in question, but the abundant memes, and edits circulating on the internet ensure that you must have heard about the films at least. It's ever-present on the internet among the plethora of edits available.

Adding to this the teenage angst, quotable dialogues and stellar cast makes these films a pop-culture staple. I remember watching the films over and over again when it was telecast on TV for precisely these reasons.

In the end, the films were predominantly for a younger demographic and it was surprisingly a raging success at the time of their release. And although it's difficult to pinpoint the reason for its success it's perhaps because it's a feel-good film with characters we related to as a child. And with that demographic having grown up we are more than likely to hold on to something familiar that is steeped in nostalgia.