Dearest Gentle Reader, after our long and deliciously riveting journey of 3 seasons and a prequel, we now await the romance of the second and fourth Bridgerton children in season 4… which we may only bear witness to, 2 years later-- or perhaps even longer.

Lady Whistledown is outed and has her identity revealed, a mini Kate-and-Anthony is on the way, the fans of the friends-to-lovers trope are thriving, and Miss Francesca's story may be swinging the other way as opposed to in the books! Amongst all the fantastical drama and fiery romance, we, the audience, now have a long time of almost 2 years ahead of us for the next new love story. So until then, here are a few fairytale/princess-esque projects to fill the Bridgerton-shaped hole in our hearts, to keep you occupied!

Image Credit: Arthur from Wikimedia Commons

Enchanted (2007)

Directed by Kevin Lima

We have heard of princes falling in love with a maiden beauty with the voice of an angel or a mysterious lady with the beauty of a hundred roses. But what we haven't seen is a soon-to-be princess falling in love with a divorce lawyer in modern-day NYC!

Well, have you ever wondered as a kid what would happen if your favorite Disney princesses were brought to life in the modern world? In this movie, the fairytale world bleeds into ours when Giselle - played by the resident romcom actress Amy Adams - is transported to the dead center of Times Square, NYC, with her sparkly white dress after being cursed by the Evil Queen.

She meets Robert Philip - played by Patrick Dempsey - a divorce lawyer in NYC and a single dad of a young girl. We follow Giselle in this 2007 musical rom-com as she navigates this new world of technology, cars, and government taxes while trying to escape from the wicked queen and a comically delusional prince.

One of my personal favorites when I was younger, this 90-minute movie is an amalgamation of the different fairy tales we heard growing up. A light and heartwarming watch for when you want to rewind after a long and tiring week.

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The Princess Diaries duology (2001)

We have all dreamed of becoming princesses at least once in our childhoods. But we never realize that these childlike wishes could actually be our reality over afternoon tea with our grandmother. Amelia Thermopolis, played by Anne Hathaway, is a 15-year-old girl who lives the life every young girl dreams of when her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi, played by Julie Andrews, reveals her royal heritage and her true identity as the princess of the fictional European country of Genovia.

In this two-part series, we follow Mia's journey as she navigates the grueling battlefield that is American High School in the first part and royal politics in the second.

The first movie gives us the classic Makeover Trope, as she's transformed from a stereotypical weird nerd to a princess-beauty while dealing with accepting her newfound identity.

The second movie, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, takes place 5 years later when she's now 21 years old and is next in line to the throne. She is given a deadline of 30 days to find a husband who will rule by her side. This movie is much more mature and chic, with a lot more elements of romance, showcasing the platonic relationship with Duke Andrew Jacoby, played by Callum Blue, as well as the forbidden and fiery romance with Nicholas Deveraux, played by Chris Pine, the nephew of the man trying to steal her crown. Quite scandalous indeed.

One of my top 5 comfort movies, the duology is a cozy and heart-fluttering watch to spend time with friends and even family.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Far from the Madding Crowd (2005)

Directed by Thomas Vinterberg

Dipping into the times of the British Regency era, contemporary to the show that made you read this article, this movie is an adaptation of the 1874 novel of the same name, with its author being Thomas Hardy.

We witness the story of Bathsheba Everdene - played by Carey Mulligan - an independent young woman with very questionable judgment and decision-making skills, who is pursued by three completely different men: a soldier, a farmer, and a shepherd; with Tom Sturridge as Sergeant Frank Troy, Michael Sheen as William Boldwood, and Matthias Schoenaerts as Gabriel Oak in their respective roles.

Unlike other plots, in this piece, we see the romance between the female lead and all three men in different but continuous timelines. Making wrong decision after decision impulsively, she finds herself in different love stories that also become predicaments in the future.

This movie is a romantic drama that will both anger you at times and also make your heart flutter, and maybe even make you shed a few tears depending on your tolerance of angst or which ML you choose to root for. That's not to say that this movie certainly has a happy ending, but not necessarily for those with different perspectives. However, it is certainly an intriguing watch that will keep you on your toes while you speculate on who the protagonist might end up with until the very end.

Image Credit: Mireille Ampilhac from Wikimedia Commons

Becoming Jane (2007)

Directed by Julian Jarrold

If you enjoyed Bridgerton Season 2, well then, here's a movie for you. This movie is yet another Anne Hathaway film — definitely not my inner Anne-Hathaway-fangirl showing — a romantic drama biopic of the one and only 18th-century English novelist, Jane Austen, one of the greatest romance novelists and major figures in female literature.

Despite producing one of the greatest literary pieces of the genre, Miss Austen herself was never married. Some speculate this was because of her rumored and speculated love affair with the Irish gentleman Thomas Lefroy.

The movie follows a young Jane - played by Anne Hathaway - and her story with Mr. Lefroy - played by James McAvoy - when he is sent to the countryside, which is home to our protagonist, as a consequence of his escapades in London. The two meet but start off on the wrong foot, leading to a bumpy but fiery relationship.

The two slowly but surely fall in love. But unlike the other stories on this list, the ending of this film is not what you would expect, with obvious regard to Jane Austen's real life.

This short 100-minute movie is a lovely and exhilarating watch with amazing chemistry between the actors.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Directed by Joe Wright

Speaking of Jane Austen, without this next film, this list would not be doing justice to the reigning champion of regency romance of all times. We all know the infamous hand twitch scene when Mr. Darcy lets go of Elizabeth's hand.

Why, the man birthed the brooding-but-soft-only-for-you archetype of men in modern rom-media!This film was a cultural phenomenon and continues to have the same buzz and hype as when it was released. With popular shows like Bridgerton, it only gets more and more recognition and attention as time moves on.

For those who are unfamiliar with the plot, it follows the fan-favorite enemies-to-lovers trope of Elizabeth Bennet (played by Keira Knightley), whose father is looking for marriage suitors for his four daughters. She meets Mr.

Darcy (played by Matthew Macfadyen), a friend of one of the most eligible suitors who becomes engaged to one of her sisters. Like every good story that follows this trope, both protagonists start off on the wrong foot and proceed to have a tension-filled relationship - with the usual miscommunication and misunderstandings sprinkled in - all the while slowly falling for each other amidst the many plot points and twists that occur in the story.

It's quite apparent that this movie popularized and heavily influenced the said trope and is the blueprint for all the ravishing romances we have today. Because, in all honesty, Pride & Prejudice walked the green grass of English cinemas so that both Bridgerton and every piece of media with the enemies-to-lovers trope could run along the red lines of the letter N on our screens.