Mindy Kaling Addresses 'Legally Blonde 3' Delay
Not only do endorphins make us happy, but so do the Legally Blonde movies, and "luckily" there is a new one on the way! Reese Witherspoon, who played our favorite Gemini vegetarian in the first two films of the franchise, confirmed back in 2018 that a third Legally Blonde movie is coming.
"It’s true... #LegallyBlonde3," the actress wrote alongside a video of herself channeling her LB alter ego Elle Woods from her Harvard admissions video essay.
It’s true... #LegallyBlonde3 pic.twitter.com/i9zBrUpRCp
— Reese Witherspoon (@ReeseW) June 7, 2018
Witherspoon's pal and A Wrinkle in Time co-star, Mindy Kaling, is writing the Legally Blonde 3 script with Killing It co-showrunner Dan Goor. “Finally some use for my Elle Woods fan fiction!” Kaling wrote on Instagram after the news was announced. “So excited to be reunited with my friends @reesewitherspoon @laurenneu and Dan Goor to work on this movie.”
The Office alum added, “Elle Woods is so iconic, proving you can be girly and smart at the same time. Bend and snap, people!”
From what Kaling has said about the movie to why it's taking so long to be released to which original stars might return, here is everything we know so far about Legally Blonde 3:
Related: 35 Best Quotes from Legally Blonde
When does Legally Blonde 3 come out?
The film was originally scheduled to be released in May 2022; however, with the script still in the works (as of September 2023) it seems fans will have to wait a bit longer.
Kaling addressed the delay during an appearance on the iHeartPodcast Table for Two with Bruce Bozzi. She said that many versions of the script have been completed, but the team is at a standstill due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
"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," she 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 this."
One of the more difficult aspects of writing the movie is figuring out how to modernize it.
"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? And so that's tricky as a writer—writing something that is incredibly funny and is a great role for Reese but is saying something about feminism now," Kaling said.
Related: Want to Join Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club? Here’s What You Need to Know
Elle Woods is back! Legally Blonde 3 coming May 2022. We rest our case. #LegallyBlonde3 #ElleWoods @ReeseW pic.twitter.com/WnxI1YEfqD
— MGM Studios (@mgmstudios) October 20, 2020
Is there a Legally Blonde 3 trailer?
Not yet, as it shooting on the project has not even begun.
Will Reese Witherspoon return for Legally Blonde 3?
You can't have a Legally Blonde movie without Elle herself! Witherspoon will be reprising her beloved character for the third film. Witherspoon told Entertainment Tonight in 2021 that Kaling is "working hard" on the script, adding, "She and I just love each other. We have a great laugh just thinking about, 'What would Elle Woods be doing right now?'"
Who else is in the Legally Blonde 3 cast?
Although there have been no other cast announcements, Kaling revealed on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen in July 2021 that fans will "1,000 percent" see more of Jennifer Coolidge's character, Paulette.
Luke Wilson, who played Emmett Richmond in the first two movies, has expressed interest in returning for the next installment. In 2020, he told Entertainment Tonight, "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.”
Legally Blonde and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde also starred Alanna Ubach as Serena McGuire and Jessica Cauffiel as Margot. Sally Field, Regina King, Selma Blair, Bob Newhart, Matthew Davis, Holland Taylor, Ali Larter and Victoria Garber have also appeared in the franchise.
What will happen in Legally Blonde 3?
On WWHL, Kaling teased that Witherspoon's character will have a "very juicy story," along with Coolidge's.
The Mindy Project actress revealed to Entertainment Tonight in April 2022 that Paulette has "a very juicy story in this one. That's all I can say, and 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."
Until then, we'll be practicing our bend and snap!
