Josh Lucas Is Still Hoping For A Sweet Home Alabama Sequel

Two decades after the release of popular rom-com Sweet Home Alabama, Josh Lucas is still hoping for a sequel of the film and it’s safe to say fans are ready, if and when this happens. In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, the actor reiterated that he would love to return to Jake and Melanie’s old-school whirlwind romance with his former co-star Reese Witherspoon.

“I would love to. I've campaigned her. I'm not gonna say that she's the problem, but I think part of it is that Reese is so busy,” he said, “I really believe that — I’m assuming, I hope — she wants to be part of it. Carving out that piece of her life isn't so easy for her. I don't have the same responsibilities or time constraints, so I hope that she could find a time to do it. I'll be there tomorrow.”

As fans remember, the 2002 romantic comedy follows New York fashion designer Melanie (Reese Witherspoon) as she returns home to Alabama to obtain a divorce from her childhood sweetheart and husband (Lucas) in order to wed her new beau Andrew (Patrick Dempsey). The film — spoiler alert — had a very happy ending, but Lucas thinks there could be more to the story.

Lucas even had some ideas on just how the sequel should pick up — and it’s actually a bit grim. The original film concluded with Melanie leaving Andrew at the altar to reconcile with Jake. So, would the two be married in a sequel? Lucas had some ideas. “I kind of love the idea that they have actually divorced and been divorced for a while and he wants her back,” he told Access Live in 2018. “Kind of to realise what he’s lost again and that the kids even, that their lives have separated in some ways, and I think that’s sort of the magic of that story is that there’s an eternal love there.”

When the beloved film celebrated its 20th anniversary in September, Witherspoon shared a sweet tribute to it on social media. She posted a montage featuring fan-favourite scenes on Instagram accompanied by the caption: “20 years ago Sweet Home Alabama came out and completely changed my life.” Along with a shout out to all the actors who worked with on the film, she also remembered her favourite line, “so I can kiss you anytime I want” and asked people if they remember the special feeling of watching the film for the first time.

In October 2022, whilst talking on Today with Hoda & Jenna, Witherspoon also said a sequel to Sweet Home Alabama “would be a great idea.” The Legally Blonde actor also made similar comments in 2019 in a Facebook Live Q&A saying she “would happily make Sweet Home Alabama 2.”

Whether Lucas and Witherspoon reunite on screen or not, the 51-year-old Yellowstone actor has great respect and admiration for his colleague, and was always sure of her impending success. “I go back to when we were shooting that movie, I had this moment where I was like, 'Wow, this woman is a really brilliant, powerful person,’” he said, adding that he knew she would one day run her own film studio. Witherspoon’s success at her production company Hello Sunshine only validates this prediction, “If you look at what she's doing, she's become a mogul,” Lucas said.

To paraphrase a quote from the film: Why would fans want a Sweet Home Alabama sequel, anyway? Um, so they could bask in Jake and Melanie’s love story any time they want.