All About ‘Legally Blonde 3’ and the Status of the Movie After It Was Massively Delayed

Rejoice: Reese Witherspoon will be reprising her role as Elle Woods for a third Legally Blonde movie, some 20+ years after the first film. Are you excited? I’m excited!

Since so much time has passed since the release of the original movie, some things will be a *smidgen* different for Legally Blonde’s third installment. For starters, we’re getting a new team of writers to work on the plot, and Reese has a hand in production, which can only mean great things are ahead. But for the other details you so desperately crave, read on, my friend!

Mindy Kaling is writing the script!

In 2020, Deadline reported Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor would be writing the script for the movie. Variety has since reported the script is complete now but details are still up in the air.

Reese will play Elle Woods once again!

And Elle’s famous sequined swimsuit she wore to apply to Harvard might be back. On June 7, 2018, the actress shared a video of herself floating across a pool à la Elle Woods on Twitter along with the words, “It’s true.” Epic way to announce that news, no?

We *did* have a release date 😔

According to Variety, Legally Blonde 3 was set to release in theaters on May 20, 2022, and the original cast confirmed as much in a reunion video.

But it was obviously delayed, and then production was halted. Mindy, who is writing the script, explained the delay on the Table for Two with Bruce Bozzi podcast on September 20, 2023: "Obviously, now we sort of have pencils down because of the writers strike, but it's had a couple of iterations over the past couple of years," Mindy said. "And I think it's a challenging project because of what makes it so great. Elle Woods is like Reese [Witherspoon's] Avengers character, and people feel so passionately about it."

She also mentioned how challenging it was to put pen to paper on the third movie given the cultural legacy of the franchise.

"I'm just someone who's coming in to co-write the third movie, and even I see how excited people are. And what is Elle Woods doing in 2023 or 2024 when culture has changed so much since then?" Mindy continued. "And so that's tricky as a writer—writing something that is incredibly funny and is a great score for Reese but is saying something about feminism now."

Along with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes and the careful writing contributing to a pause, Reese Witherspoon has also been booked and busy, which could have added to the halt.

"[Reese is] shooting shows and movies and everything else, so there isn't this sense from her that she's in any desperation or anxiety about getting back to the role. She loves the character and wants to do it if it's exactly right... So it's been taking some time," Mindy explained.

As of now, there's no new release date.

The film was originally supposed to come out in 2020.

Specifically February 14, 2020, according to an MGM announcement on Twitter.

Then it was bumped back to a May 2020 release, followed by the 2022 date that also didn't happen.

But hey, Jennifer Coolidge is returning!

In April 2022, Mindy told ET that Jennifer Coolidge will "1,000 percent" be returning for the third movie.

"[She] is just someone who all writers would kill to write for. She is so funny," Mindy spilled. "She elevates any material and she is just like...she can just do a glance, it is just hilarious. And so as a writer, it's the jackpot. Especially in that character, her character, [beautician] Paulette, is so funny and their dynamic is so funny. It's been really great. She [has] a very juicy story in this one. That's all I can say, by the way, Elle has a very juicy story. The two of them, seeing what they look like now after 20 years, is really fun."

Though no other cast members have been confirmed.

Notably, Luke Wilson—who played Elle’s lawyer hubby—told Entertainment Tonight in May 2020 that he would be more than happy to return to the role again. “I have not talked to Reese about it, but yeah, I always kind of hear rumors here and there,” he said. “Never anything official about them doing another Legally Blonde, but I’d love to do another one. I mean, just that character Reese played was so funny at the time and that has kind of become this iconic character now.”

Expect the third film to have the same “spirit” as the first.

Again, from Deadline’s report: The third film will likely continue with the message of female empowerment, something that is especially important given the current climate in Hollywood and beyond.

Also in Reese’s interview with the Hollywood Reporter, she said the third installment of the series will be “so much fun. So full of fashion. So full of awesome feminist ideas. It will be global. It will have animals. It will have returning cast members. We just need to film it first. But that’s my hope and dream for Legally Blonde 3.”

The plot is still under wraps, but don’t be surprised if you see Elle Woods in office.

In March 2017, Reese joked about a potential storyline for her character during an appearance on The Late Late Show With James Corden. When James suggested a seat in the White House, Reese said, “She could be a Supreme Court Justice or she could be like a really great, powerful attorney or she could be in prison. She could be anything.”

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