Reese Witherspoon Shares First Details Of The Legally Blonde TV Prequel

Reese Witherspoon is turning Legally Blonde into a cinematic universe. On May 14, the actor, who played Elle Woods in both movies, announced at Amazon’s upfront presentation that a prequel series set during Woods’ high school years is officially in the works.

A description for the show, currently titled Elle, will follow “Elle Woods in high school as we learn about the life experiences that shaped her into the iconic young woman we came to know and love in the first Legally Blonde film,” according to Variety.

Dressed as the famed character at the Amazon event, Witherspoon said she “couldn’t be more excited” about the prequel series. “Fans will get to know how Elle Woods navigated her world as a teenager with her distinct personality and ingenuity, in ways that only our beloved Elle could do.”

Series creator Laura Kittrell will join the Oscar-winning actor as an executive producer on the show, and Lauren Neustadter from Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine, will also produce, alongside Amazon MGM Studios.

“One of the most quotable, iconic, and beloved characters that is ingrained in the fabric of Hollywood history has to be Elle Woods,” said Vernon Sanders, head of television at Amazon MGM Studios. “Reese and Hello Sunshine’s vision for this series, coupled with Laura Kittrell’s winning voice, made this show completely undeniable.”

The news comes roughly a month after Deadline first reported that Witherspoon was developing a spin-off series. According to the outlet, Gossip Girl and The O.C. creators, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, are writing the show.

Deadline also reported that Witherspoon and Amazon are exploring ideas for a second spin-off, which is still in early stages.

Legally Blonde 3

It’s unknown how the series will affect the long-delayed Legally Blonde 3 — if at all. Witherspoon announced the third Legally Blonde movie in June 2018, and two years later, she revealed that Mindy Kaling would pen the film with writing partner Dan Goor. However, MGM’s previously announced premiere date of May 2022 has come and gone.

In April 2022, Kaling acknowledged that writing the sequel was “going a little more slowly than we like, but just because we really want it to be good,” she told Entertainment Tonight “I think of it like Reese’s Avengers. Elle Woods is like her Captain America, and so you don’t want to be the person that messes up that story.”

A few months later, Witherspoon gave an encouraging update, saying that Top Gun: Maverick gave her some motivation to do the sequel correctly. “I feel like these characters are my friends, so I safeguard them,” she told USA Today. “I would never make the subpar, mediocre version of their story.”