Legally Blonde 3 is on its way! So, get ready to "bend and snap" again as Reese Witherspoon returns to the iconic role of Elle Woods.
Moviegoers first met the pink-clad, Chihuahua-carrying, sorority girl in 2001 as the original Legally Blonde movie was released and became an instant hit. The comedy followed Elle as she was unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III (Matthew Davis), for not being serious enough.
On a mission to win him back and prove him wrong she enrolls at Harvard Law School, where Warner also goes. ("What, like it's hard?" says Elle in one of the most iconic lines from the movie, when a shocked Warner asks what she is doing at the prestigious university).
The movie was a huge hit, making over $141 million at the box office worldwide and securing Reese's place as one of the most successful actors of the noughties.
The 2003 sequel, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde saw the now-qualified lawyer Elle move to Washington DC to campaign for animal rights and fight for Bruiser's Law (named after her much-loved Chihuahua), to ban the testing of make-up on animals.
The third installment of the franchise promises to show Elle in her 40s. Over 20 years after the original, how has life treated the lawyer? Is she still married to Emmett? Does she still own a Chihuahua?
Here's everything you need to know about the must-see threequel…
Legally Blonde 3 release date
Originally, Legally Blonde 3 was set to be one of the must-see movies in 2022 as MGM announced the film was expected to release in May this year.
However, the film has now been delayed indefinitely, so we don't know when we'll get to see Elle Woods back in action right now.
Legally Blonde 3 plot
The details of the plot are still a closely guarded secret. The writing team for the third installment is Mindy Kaling (The Office, The Mindy Project) and Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-creator Dan Goor.
In an interview with Access Hollywood Mindy said: "I can't wait to see what people think of the way we've written Elle Woods at 40. How Elle Woods is at 40 versus when she was 21 has been really fun to imagine."
The Instagram post below shows how happy Reese is to have Mindy on board, the pair also worked together on the Apple TV+ series The Morning Show and the 2018 film A Wrinkle in Time.
Mindy also confirmed that a lot of fan-favorite moments and Elle's iconic catchphrases would still be a big part of the film.
"Bend and snap is forever", she added during her chat with Hollywood Access.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in November 2021, MGM executive Pamela Abdy was asked to reveal what she knew about Legally Blonde 3.
"It’s really happening. Mindy Kaling and Dan [Goor] are writing it now for Reese [Witherspoon] to star. Reese and Lauren Neustadter are producing with Marc Platt. We’re all developing it together. What does Elle Woods look like at 40? Elle is a mom with a thriving career."
We also know that Oscar-winner Reese is a keen advocate of providing women with strong and empowering roles and has focused a lot of her work with her own production company, called Hello Sunshine, on that.
In 2021 she made the cover of Time magazine, recognizing the positive impact she has on the entertainment industry.
Legally Blonde 3 cast
Who will star alongside Reese is still a bit of a mystery. In the 20-year Legally Blonde reunion video, which can be watched below, all the cast still had a lot of obvious love for the original film, which we hope suggests they would be up for appearing in Legally Blonde 3 if the script allowed it?
Joining Reese in the emotional reunion were Selma Blair (Vivian), Jessica Cauffiel (Margot), Jennifer Coolidge (Paulette), Matthew Davis (Warner), Ali Larter (Brooke), Holland Taylor (Professor Stromwell), Alanna Ubach (Serena) and Luke Wilson (Emmett).
In a video interview for The Hollywood Reporter, Reese also confirmed that Jennifer Coolidge would be back as Paulette, as well as other returning characters, but no definite names have been announced yet.
Fans of the franchise will remember Elle married fellow lawyer Emmett Richmond (Luke Wilson) in Legally Blonde 2. The actor has said in the press that he would be up for returning to the role for a third time if Reese asked him to, so fingers crossed their marriage is still going strong!
Is there a Legally Blonde 3 trailer?
Not yet, and thanks to this delay, we don't think we'll be seeing one anytime soon, either. We'll be sure to add the trailer to this guide when one arrives.
How is your "Bend and Snap?"
With the third movie arriving soon, there's no better time to practice the iconic Legally Blonde move of the "Bend and Snap!" Enjoy!
