Everything We Know About ‘Legally Blonde 3’: Who’s Returning, Who’s Writing the Script and More

Credit: Tracy Bennett/Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock

Everything We Know About ‘Legally Blonde 3’: Who’s Returning, Who’s Writing the Script and More

Pretty in pink! Legally Blonde’s box office success, cult following and fans' undying love of Elle Woods led to a hit sequel — and now, Legally Blonde 3 is in the works. The 2001 original film made Reese Witherspoon a household name as she took on the role of Elle, everyone’s favorite Gemini vegetarian law school student who didn’t let her ex-boyfriend Warner (Matthew Davis) — or unfair stereotypes — stop her from becoming a lawyer. The comedy also gave life to many iconic quotes that fans of the franchise still use today, including, “What, like it’s hard?” and it originated the "Bend and Snap" move. After years of speculation and teasing, Deadline reported in May 2020 that Legally Blonde 3 was given the green light. The outlet confirmed that Witherspoon would be returning as the blonde attorney who objects to catcalls and won’t stand for a fellow sorority sister being wrongfully accused of murdering her husband — after all, "Happy people don’t kill their husbands!" The Sweet Home Alabama star’s production company, Hello Sunshine, signed off to produce the project, according to Deadline. The franchise’s original producer Marc Platt will be working alongside the L.A.-based company, and Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor were announced as the writers for the new script. “Elle Woods is so iconic, proving you can be girly and smart at the same time. Bend and snap people!” Kaling wrote via Instagram at the time, confirming her role on the film. Five months later, Witherspoon had a virtual reunion with the original Legally Blonde cast to reminisce about its massive success. The first film earned $141 million at the box office, according to Variety, while the 2003 sequel, which followed Elle to Washington, D.C. as she fights to pass Bruiser’s Bill (named for her beloved Chihuahua), grossed nearly $125 million globally. [jwplayer eZDtCafe-zhNYySv2] “I think [Elle] just inspired people to believe in themselves. She’s inspired me to really keep an open mind,” Witherspoon said during the October 2020 event. “I think her spirit is something we could all use a little bit more of right now.” The Whiskey in a Teacup author noted that the original movie’s fandom is something she didn’t expect, nor did she think it would inspire so many women to become lawyers. “Oh, my gosh. No. Not at all. I don’t think any of us knew what this film was going to turn out to be,” she explained at the time. “More people stop me and say, ‘I went to law school because of Elle Woods.’” On the film’s 20th anniversary, Witherspoon again paid tribute to her beloved alter ego, making fans even more excited for the upcoming third movie. “Time flies when you're busy using legal jargon in your every day life,” she joked via Instagram in July 2021. “But truly ... playing Elle Woods was the role of a lifetime and I'm so honored to have been a part of sharing her story with you all. I wonder ... what will Elle do next?” Scroll down to see what we know so far about Legally Blonde 3: [podcast_block]

Credit: Tracy Bennett/Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock

Everything We Know About ‘Legally Blonde 3’: Who’s Returning, Who’s Writing the Script and More

Pretty in pink! Legally Blonde’s box office success, cult following and fans' undying love of Elle Woods led to a hit sequel — and now, Legally Blonde 3 is in the works. The 2001 original film made Reese Witherspoon a household name as she took on the role of Elle, everyone’s favorite Gemini vegetarian law school student who didn’t let her ex-boyfriend Warner (Matthew Davis) — or unfair stereotypes — stop her from becoming a lawyer. The comedy also gave life to many iconic quotes that fans of the franchise still use today, including, “What, like it’s hard?” and it originated the "Bend and Snap" move. After years of speculation and teasing, Deadline reported in May 2020 that Legally Blonde 3 was given the green light. The outlet confirmed that Witherspoon would be returning as the blonde attorney who objects to catcalls and won’t stand for a fellow sorority sister being wrongfully accused of murdering her husband — after all, "Happy people don’t kill their husbands!" The Sweet Home Alabama star’s production company, Hello Sunshine, signed off to produce the project, according to Deadline. The franchise’s original producer Marc Platt will be working alongside the L.A.-based company, and Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor were announced as the writers for the new script. “Elle Woods is so iconic, proving you can be girly and smart at the same time. Bend and snap people!” Kaling wrote via Instagram at the time, confirming her role on the film. Five months later, Witherspoon had a virtual reunion with the original Legally Blonde cast to reminisce about its massive success. The first film earned $141 million at the box office, according to Variety, while the 2003 sequel, which followed Elle to Washington, D.C. as she fights to pass Bruiser’s Bill (named for her beloved Chihuahua), grossed nearly $125 million globally. [jwplayer eZDtCafe-zhNYySv2] “I think [Elle] just inspired people to believe in themselves. She’s inspired me to really keep an open mind,” Witherspoon said during the October 2020 event. “I think her spirit is something we could all use a little bit more of right now.” The Whiskey in a Teacup author noted that the original movie’s fandom is something she didn’t expect, nor did she think it would inspire so many women to become lawyers. “Oh, my gosh. No. Not at all. I don’t think any of us knew what this film was going to turn out to be,” she explained at the time. “More people stop me and say, ‘I went to law school because of Elle Woods.’” On the film’s 20th anniversary, Witherspoon again paid tribute to her beloved alter ego, making fans even more excited for the upcoming third movie. “Time flies when you're busy using legal jargon in your every day life,” she joked via Instagram in July 2021. “But truly ... playing Elle Woods was the role of a lifetime and I'm so honored to have been a part of sharing her story with you all. I wonder ... what will Elle do next?” Scroll down to see what we know so far about Legally Blonde 3: [podcast_block]

Credit: Sam Emerson/Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock

It’s a Go!

Witherspoon confirmed the project in June 2018 by sharing a video of herself as Elle Woods. “It’s true... #LegallyBlonde3,” she captioned the Instagram clip, which showed her in a sparkly pink bikini floating on a raft in her pool, a nod to one of the many iconic scenes in the original film.

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Matt Davis Cameo?

“I think anything’s possible,” Davis, who played Elle and Vivian’s (Selma Blair) ex, exclusively told Us Weekly in July 2018 of his possible return to the franchise. “I’ve always told people that without Warner, there’s no Elle Woods. Warner compels Elle to go to Harvard. Think about that. Without Warner, there’s no Legally Blonde!”

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Holland Taylor Wants In

Taylor, who played Professor Stromwell in the 2001 original, exclusively told Us in October 2018 that she would love to come back in some capacity. “If they don’t have that character back as a Supreme Court justice or an even more elevated professor or as part of the government, they’re crazy,” she said at the time.

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The Dream Team

Witherspoon and Kaling confirmed in May 2020 that The Mindy Project creator and Goor had signed on to write the third Legally Blonde installment. The project will reunite the two actresses, who starred alongside each other in A Wrinkle in Time and The Morning Show.

“Finally, some use for my Elle Woods fan fiction,” the Office alum wrote via Instagram at the time. “So excited to be reunited with my friends @reesewitherspoon @laurenneu and Dan Goor to work on this movie.”

The Draper James founder also celebrated the “great news” via social media, writing, “Some things are just meant to be! I’m SOOO excited to have @MindyKaling and #DanGoor writing Legally Blonde 3! 💖💫This is #ElleWoodsApproved!💯.”

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Jennifer Coolidge Is Ready to Return

“I did hear at one point after The Morning Show [that] it’s going [to happen],” Coolidge, who played nail salon worker Paulette, exclusively told Us in January 2020 of the project. “But of course, there’s rumors that you read every day in the newspaper that say, ‘Legally Blonde is opening May 20 this year,’ and you’re, like, ‘Well, ugh.’ But I don’t know. I would love to play Paulette again.”

Kaling confirmed to Andy Cohen in July 2021 that Coolidge is “1,000 percent” going to make an appearance in the third film.

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Luke Wilson Doesn’t Have Any Updates

“Of course [I’d do it],” Wilson, who played Elle’s boyfriend and eventual husband, Emmett, exclusively told Us in December 2020. “As for the Legally Blonde that we’re hearing about now — I don’t know anything than the usual man on the street. And that’s really the truth. I’ve heard they’re writing it and trying to put it together, but they’re keeping it pretty firmly under wraps.”

Wilson noted that he “loved working with Reese,” and gushed over the success of the franchise. “It’s just a good feeling. It’s one thing to make a movie people like, it’s another thing to make a movie that does well, but to have one that gets legs because of how people feel about it, that is a great feeling,” he added. “To have a movie make a jump to generations.”

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The Script Is in the Works

Kaling revealed during a July 2021 appearance of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen that the writing team is "still working on our first draft" of the script. She noted that the most intimidating part of the project thus far is “capturing the voice” and honoring the memorable moments from the first two films. “Things like the 'Bend and Snap.' There are so many iconic moments in [the movies] that we have to come up with our new version of that," she explained.

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The Script Status

"We don't have a script yet!" Witherspoon told ET in September 2021 while promoting season 2 of The Morning Show with Jennifer Aniston. "Mindy's busy. Mindy's working hard on it. I know she is. And she and I just love each other. We have a great laugh just thinking about, 'What would Elle Woods be doing right now?' … So many things have changed, but then some things are just so similar.”

When asked whether Aniston could pop up in the film, the former Friends star joked, ”I’ll be illegally blonde."

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Jennifer Coolidge’s Script Idea

On the 2021 Emmy Awards red carpet, Coolidge told E!’s Karamo Brown that she’s not exactly sure what’s going on with Legally Blonde 3. “I was hoping tonight somebody could fill me in, because I haven’t heard anything,” she said. “Every week, I get, like, a little text or something going, ‘It’s happening’ or whatever and then I don’t hear anything again.”

The actress added, “Reese has a lot going on, but I hope it happens.”

If it does, The White Lotus star has an idea for what she’d like to see her character, Paulette, doing — and no, it’s not more bending and snapping. “I hope that Reese and I are running really fast for most of it,” she joked. “We’re running from something, really fast.”

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Making the Script ‘Awesome’

“We’re still working on the script,” the Mindy Project alum told Extra in November 2021. "Reese is super busy. I just want to deliver something that is awesome, so we’re taking our time.”

While Kaling remained tight-lipped about the work-in-progress sequel, she did offer a few thoughts about where she envisioned Elle Woods to be in today’s world, telling the outlet, “I’m always fascinated to see where Elle would be in 2021 with all the political movements that have happened. I think she’s, like, married to Emmett [and] they have a nice family going on.”

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It's All Happening

During a joint interview with Entertainment Tonight in December 2021, Coolidge admitted she knew "so little" of what was in store for the third movie, joking, "Reese is the keeper of the keys. She knows all the secrets."

Witherspoon, for her part, told the outlet that she was excited to see where the characters would be 20 years down the line. "It's a lot of me and this lady [Coolidge], that's all I have to say," she hinted.

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Paulette's 'Juicy' New Plot

In addition to sticking by Elle's side once more, Paulette's new plot will also likely have its own dramatic twist — inspired by another one of Coolidge's roles. "Obviously, Paulette was just like so integral to the to the whole franchise but once we saw [The White Lotus] we were like, 'Ooh, we really want to make sure that she has something really juicy to do,'" Kaling told E! News in February 2022.

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It'll Be Worth the Wait

While Kaling confessed to Entertainment Tonight that the script is taking a little bit longer "than we like," she promised it would worth the extra wait. "I think of it like Reese's Avengers," she explained. "Elle Woods is like her Captain America, and so you don't want to be the person that messes up that story. So, for me, we are just taking our time because we want it to be really good." The Never Have I Ever creator added that Elle will have a "very juicy" storyline in the new film: "[Elle and Paulette], seeing what they look like now after 20 years, is really fun."

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Taking Inspiration

“I’m still hoping that Legally Blonde 3 is gonna come together in the right way,” Witherspoon told USA Today in July 2022. “It’s just like Top Gun: [Maverick]. They waited a long time to make another version of that movie, and I loved the nostalgia piece they incorporated in it.”

The actress added: “So definitely that gave us a lot of inspiration about what we would want to do with Elle Woods and make sure that we had all those same touchstones that mattered to people [back] then. I feel like these characters are my friends, so I safeguard them. I would never make the subpar, mediocre version of their story.”

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When Is It Coming Out?

The original release date was February 14, 2020, but it has since been pushed back.

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Is Selma Blair on Board?

"Legally Blonde is such a joy, such a technicolor classic now," Blair, who played Elle’s nemesis and later friend Vivian in the 2001 film, told Entertainment Tonight in September 2022.

The Cruel Intentions star revealed that when it comes to the franchise, "Reese is really into it, you know, she loves her fans and she loves that movie and it's so much fun.” While Blair revealed that she has “no idea” whether her character will make a cameo in the third installment, she is “putting it out there” in the universe that she’s happily come back.