Two years after Red, White & Royal Blue made history on Prime Video, fans have been eagerly waiting for updates on Alex and Prince Henry’s love story. When author Casey McQuiston recently said “pencils are kind of down for now” about the sequel, the fandom went into full panic mode.
But don’t worry, McQuiston quickly clarified that it’s not as dramatic as it sounds.
“Pencils Down” Isn’t a Bad Thing
Here’s what really happened. At a recent event on August 14, McQuiston gave a highly anticipated update on the upcoming second film, which was greenlit last May. As the first book does not have a sequel, both McQuiston and RWRB director Matthew López are said to be writing the film’s script.
“I think it’s safe to say our pencils are down for now & we’ll see what comes next as far as moving forward,” they said. “I’m not at liberty to say more than that but I know that everyone I’ve spoken to on the project is really excited.”
While some fans took this as good news, others could not help but worry what “pencils down” really meant.
“I actually don’t know how anyone reads this as positive on the sequel. They didn’t say the script is done, specifically said pencils are down, to me it means postponed.” Many more comments quickly flooded in, leaving fans spiraling and questioning if we’d ever get to see where Alex and Henry’s love story goes next.
Author to Save the Day
According to DNA, McQuiston caught on to the panic and swooped in to put everyone at ease. On August 19, they took to their Instagram stories to explain the comment:
“I don’t know who needs to hear this, but ‘pencils down’ is a figure of speech that refers to when you’re taking the SAT or something and it’s time to put your pencil down because the section of the test is done,” they wrote. “I’ve used this expression, like, 100,000 times to describe the feeling of turning in a manuscript, it’s not that deep!”
Phew! No word yet on filming, but the sequel is moving forward. That’s enough to keep us fed… for now.
The Sequel Is Still Happening
Amazon MGM Studios confirmed last year that the sequel is officially in development after the original became the streamer’s No. 1 movie globally on its opening weekend, holding the top spot for three weeks.
McQuiston is also on board as an executive producer, teaming up with López and Berlanti Schechter Films’ Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Michael McGrath.
Who’s Coming Back?
The sequel will reunite Taylor Zakhar Perez as Alex and Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Henry, along with López at the helm. Uma Thurman’s President Ellen Claremont charmed fans in the first film, and recently announced she will be reprising her role when the time comes.
The first Red, White & Royal Blue wasn’t just a rom-com, it was a queer cultural reset. The enemies-to-lovers romance between the First Son of the United States and the Prince of England gave LGBTQ+ audiences a rare happy ending on a mainstream global stage.
Now, the only question is: where do Alex and Henry go from here? Will we see wedding bells, political drama, or even royal scandals? With McQuiston and López at the wheel, fans can expect the sequel to honor what made the original such a phenomenon: queer joy, messy romance, and just enough drama to keep us hooked.
If you’re looking to reminisce, watch our interview with Matthew López below.
