One of the Hottest Baby Names of 2017 Comes from Our Fave New Disney Character

New Disney Movies Coming In 2024

Inside Out 2 — In Theaters June 14, 2024

Following 2015's Inside Out, all of your favorite characters are back along with the now-teenage Riley. And that means they're going to be joined by the greatest of all teen emotions: anxiety. Watch the Inside Out 2 trailer here.

Deadpool 3 — In Theaters July 26, 2024

Ryan Reynolds is back with some kick-butt action alongside Hugh Jackman and...Taylor Swift? Like the majority of Marvel's Phase 5, Deadpool & Wolverine will focus on the consequences of one particular anti-hero's time travel. Watch the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer here.

Moana 2 — November 27, 2024

Moana's brand new adventure takes her (and Maui, of course) across Oceania to a part of the ocean she's never seen before. Auliʻi Cravalho just confirmed that she's coming back for the sequel, which also features brand new music from TikTok songwriters Barlow & Bear. We can't wait to hear their music! See the Moana 2 first look here.

Mufasa: The Lion King — In Theaters December 20, 2024

This The Lion King prequel focuses on Rafiki, Timon, and Pumbaa, who tell the story of King Mufasa — and how he became one of the greatest kings the Pride Lands had ever seen — to a young cub.

Snow White — In Theaters March 21, 2025

This live-action take on Walt Disney's first film stars Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen set on taking Snow White's beauty for herself. Not only is the cast amazing, but the film also features classic music and new songs from songwriters Benji Pasek and Justin Paul, who did the music Dear Evan Hansen and La La Land.

More New Disney Movies + Shows To Watch On Disney+

The Little Mermaid

In this live-action remake of the beloved cartoon, mermaid Ariel (Halle Bailey) longs to be part of the human world and makes a deal with sea witch Ursula in order to leave the sea. Watch The Little Mermaid trailer here.

Elemental

Elemental is inspired by real-life immigrants who live together in multicultural neighborhoods, and it explores how fire, water, land, and air residents — including fiery Ember and easy-going Wade — live together in one city. Watch the Elemental trailer here.

The Marvels

After 2019's Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) joins forces with Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) to figure out why using their powers causes them to swap places with one another. Watch The Marvels trailer here.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians

This long-awaited series stars Walker Scobell, Aryan Simhadri, and Leah Sava Jeffries. The series follows Percy Jackson after he learns that he's the son of Poseidon and joins other demigods at Camp Half-Blood. Watch the Percy Jackson & The Olympianstrailer and our interview with the cast on YouTube!

Andor

This 24-episode Star Wars series (which is set five years before the one-off Rogue One film) follows Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) on a journey of danger and intrigue as he turns into a rebel hero. Watch the Andor trailer here.

Hocus Pocus 2

Twenty-nine years after Max lit the Black Flame Candle, the Sanderson sisters are back in Salem, and it's up to three high-schoolers to stop them before dawn breaks on All Hallow's Eve. Rewatch this sequel before Hocus Pocus 3 comes out! Watch the Hocus Pocus 2 trailer here.

The Santa Clauses

Picking up after the Santa Claus trilogy, Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) is approaching his 65th birthday and, after he realizes that he can't be Santa forever, he sets out to find the perfect replacement. Watch The Santa Clauses trailer here.

The Whole Family Will Love These New Disney Movies

Strange World

Strange World follows a family — which includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, and Lucy Liu —who, after they discover a new world full of both exciting surprises and danger, must put aside their differences to save it. Watch the Strange World trailer here.

Disenchanted

Disenchanted picks up 15 years after Giselle (Amy Adams) and Robert's (Patrick Dempsey) wedding, and Giselle has grown disillusioned. The family decides to move to Monroeville, but the change isn't exactly the fix Giselle's been looking for, prompting her to use magic to set things right. The only problem? She accidentally turns Monroeville into a real-life fairy tale and threatens her family's happiness in the process. Watch the Disenchanted trailer here.

Willow

This live-action series returns to the world from the 1988 film, as a new group of heroes sets out to find the sorcerer Willow. Watch the Willow trailer here.

National Treasure: Edge of History

Based on the movies of the same name, Jess (Lisette Olivera) and her friends set out on a new treasure hunt to discover the truth about her father. Watch the National Treasure: Edge of History trailer here.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) team up with Hope's parents (Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer) and Scott's daughter (Kathryn Newton) to explore the Quantum Realm and encounter possibilities and dangers they thought were impossible. Watch the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania here.

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder

The story of Penny Proud (Kyla Pratt) and her family is far from over, and the new season of this series follows all of their antics and adventures. Watch the trailer for season 2 here.

Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny

Harrison Ford (who plays the titular character) got misty-eyed while announcing Indiana Jones 5 at the D23 expo. Ford is joined by Fleabag creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who plays Indiana's goddaughter Helena. Watch the Indiana Jones 5 trailer here.

More New Disney Movies To Watch In 2024

Win or Lose

This long-form series follows co-ed middle school softball team the Pickles during the week of their championship game. Each episode, which is told with a different visual style, is from the perspective of a different main character.

Iwájú

This long-form series — created in collaboration with Kugali, a Pan-African comic book entertainment company — follows Tola, an heiress from the wealthy island in Lagos, and her best friend and tech expert Kole from the mainland. It's full of color and life, and is a love letter to Lagos, Nigeria. Watch the Iwájú trailer here.

Peter Pan & Wendy

Starring Alexander Molony as Peter Pan, Ever Anderson as Wendy, Alyssa Wapanâtahk as Tiger Lily, and Jude Law as Captain Hook, Peter Pan & Wendy goes deeper into Wendy's story than ever before as she sets out on a journey to Neverland with Peter. Watch the Peter Pan & Wendy trailer here.

Ironheart

Following Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) returns to the screen, blending magic and tech with her approach to building iron suits. Anthony Ramos costars as Parker Robbins.

Haunted Mansion

Former Disneyland employee Justin Simien directs this new Disney movie, which focuses on a woman and her son who get a group of spiritual experts to help them clear their home of supernatural spirits. The cast list includes Jamie Lee Curtis, Tiffany Haddish, and Rosario Dawson. Watch the Haunted Mansion trailer here.

What has Anne Hathaway said about Julie Andrews?

In her recent cover story with Vanity Fair, Anne Hathaway talks about how working with Julie Andrews changed her life forever. “She respected that [fans] had a relationship to her work that spanned their entire lives and made it a beautiful experience for them,” she says of Julie stopping to sign autographs every day during The Princess Diaries. “I don’t know that I was always capable of that. So I’ve learned that I want to handle myself in a way that I’m going to be proud of at a later date.”

Anne also has a major appreciation for howThe Princess Diaries franchise as a whole turned her life upside down. "This was the film that changed my life," she says. "It felt so big at the time, and it wound up being so big, and it's kind of just gotten bigger as my life has progressed...So this is a total fusion of life and work, and all the things, and I'm just so proud to be in this movie."

What is The Princess Diaries 3 about?

We don't have an official script, but according to sources, the film might continue the storyline from the previous two movies. Based on the books by Meg Cabot, both films follow Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway), an awkward high schooler who learns she is next in line to be queen of Genovia. Makeovers, royal balls, romance, and tons of fun follow.

Gary Marshall, the director of the first two movies who passed away in 2016, told People that one idea he shared with Anne Hathaway was to set The Princess Diaries 3 in the big city: "It looks like we want to do Princess Diaries 3 in Manhattan." As someone who lives in New York City, I might be biased, but setting the story in Manhattan would be INCREDIBLE. Would Mia hang out at the Met? Would the movie feature any nods to The Devil Wears Prada? Anne Hathaway, if you need another background extra, hit me up!

Who's in The Princess Diaries 3 cast?

It has not been confirmed whether Hathaway will be returning if the film goes into production, but based on the fact that she has publicly supported a third installment multiple times, we're hoping that she'd star again! Julie Andrews, Chris Pine, and Raven-Symoné have also been a part of the franchise, but there's no word on whether they'd return either.

In December of 2022, Variety reported that Julie Andrews doubts that she'll be able to return to the franchise, but we're still holding out hope!

When is the Princess Diaries 3 release date?

We don't have a release date, but it appears that pre-production may have begun. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Supergirl and Quantum Leap writer Aadrita Mukerji is working on the script, and producer Debra Martin Chase (who worked on the first two films) is returning to produce. We're all in favor of women behind the scenes, so this news gets two thumbs up from us!

Where can you watch The Princess Diaries 3?

It's TBD whether this film would release in theaters or on streaming, but you can watch both The Princess Diariesand The Princess Diaries 2on Disney+ now ;).

What's the Princess Diaries cast saying?

Don't fret, Princess Diaries fans, Chris Pine is *totally* on board for a Genovian reunion. "Yeah, I'm here! I'm here for it," Pine told Entertainment Tonight. "Give me a phone call or an email."

The actor (and our personal crush) played Lord Nicholas Deveraux in 2004's The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. Deveraux rivaled Anne Hathaway's Princess Mia Thermopolis for the throne, becoming her friend and love interest.

Recently, Hathaway toldPeople that the a third installment in the franchise was still in development and far from production, but it was "thrilling" to "see the level of excitement for it." However, while the movie industry gears turn slowly, she is still very much advocating for the long-awaited three-quel.

"Playing Elle Woods was just the highlight of my career, my early career for sure," she tells People. "She was such an underdog, and just trying to find those pieces of her that [were] really vulnerable. That feeling that people underestimate you and think you can't do things."

"I had no idea when we were making it that it was going to touch so many people's hearts," she continues. "The thing I love about Elle Woods is I share that performance with so many young people because of the stage play...I'll have all these cool people come up to me and be like 'I played Elle Woods!'...We're both Elle Woods!"

Elle Woods is, without a doubt, a feminist icon, and it’s safe to say that Reese Witherspoon took her character very seriously.

You may be thinking: “What crazy techniques could Reese Witherspoon have used to create Elle Woods for Legally Blonde? It’s just a character!” At first, we thought that too. Was it really that hard to play a wannabe socialite on a mission to win back her boyfriend before using her intellect to crush it at Harvard Law and save her friend from a murder conviction à la her knowledge of perms? In short — yes, yes it was, and Reese spilled it all on how she transformed into the leading lady we know (and love) today.

In an interview with Harper's Bazaar, Reese mentions that she's always loved how much of a feminist Elle is. “She could have all this really strong ideology about what women could accomplish but she could also be very obsessed with clothes and hair and makeup, which a lot of young women are,” she says.

“The costume designer Sophie De Rakoff and I collaborated — this was our first collaboration — to create Elle Woods," she continues. "In the script it said she had been, like, a sunscreen model. So we knew we were gonna have to do some bikini looks and we were going to have to do bright colors, we wanted her hair really bright blonde."

Elle was meant to come off to others as a classic California Barbie stereotype, the kind of surface-level person who never spent a moment thinking critically. To accomplish this, Sophie and Reese set out to find the perfect costumes to match Elle's 90s supermodel hair, and it was pretty intense, at least according to Reese.

"I remember the first day of going to Harvard that Sophie wanted [Elle] in an all pink leather look because she wanted her to look like a piece of luggage," Reese recalls. "We went to Frederick's of Hollywood to buy the bunny costume together and so I had to try on all these bustiers and make sure that all the bits were in the right places."

But the “look” isn’t all that Reese was committed to. Reese needed to become Elle, sorority houses and all. “I would go and just hang out and listen to what they talked about, and the way they did their nails, and the way they decorated their rooms," she says. "It really influenced how I held my body, how I used my hands in the performance, the cadence of my speech…I took the part really seriously. It was all about just creating [a] character that I really understood throughout the entire shooting, so that you could throw anything my way and I could still stay in character.”

Whew — that’s a lot. Reese’s commitment to the role truly shines through the screen, and has *literally* changed pop culture forever. I mean, we have probably dressed as Elle Woods for Halloween at least a half dozen times.

“The impact of Legally Blonde has been unreal," she continues. "Just the idea that I've traveled all over the world...and had women come up to me and say, ‘I became a lawyer because of Elle Woods’...it's just meaningful. It's very resonant at a certain time in your life where you're really trying to discover who you are, and it's why it's one of my favorite movies I've ever done. It's one of my favorite characters I ever created.”

Honestly, we have so much respect for Reese and the incredible effort she put into perfecting the Elle we've idolized for decades. It’s unimaginable to quantify the impact this character has had on women — and society — as a whole, but if we had to guess, we know it would be enormous.