Elle, theLegally Blondeprequel show, gets a significant filming and casting update from franchise star and executive producer Reese Witherspoon. Following two successful films, the prequel was ordered to series on Prime Video in March 2024. Laura Kittrell will serve as showrunner, with thestory following Elle Woodsduring her high school yearsbefore she became the young woman that audiences meet in the influential 2001 movie.
In new comments toPEOPLE, the Oscar-winning Witherspoon reveals thatfilming forEllewill begin in March. The project, which hails from Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine media company, is currently moving through the casting process. In the remarks below, the executive producer shares some insight into what it has been like looking for the young Elle Woods:
“I’m really excited. We start in March. I’m really excited because we’re going through the casting process right now and we’re picking who is going to play the young me. It’s kind of a trip.”
“It’s so exciting too, to watch these young girls that are so filled with enthusiasm and excitement and completely… There’s so many good ones. That’s the hard thing because there’s so many good people to choose from.”
What Witherspoon’s Comments Mean For Elle
Prime Video Might Make A Bold Casting Choice
One of the dings against Hollywood is that, especially when it comes to young actors, a lot of the most important roles tend to go to already established and other very famous names that are already known for other characters. Studios do this, in part, as a way of mitigating what they believe to be a risk and streamlining the process. But on the opposite end, it makes it harder for newer actors to break out with a massive project. However,Ellemight see a fresh face cast in the lead role.
New Legally Blonde Prequel Show Already Has The Perfect Reese Witherspoon Replacement
Prime Video has the tall task of recasting Reese Witherspoon for Elle, a prequel series that will focus on Legally Blonde’s Elle’s high school years.
If the casting forEllereally is more open, this allows more room for a relative unknown to break out and make the character their own, separate and apart fromWitherspoon’s performance.The start date of March likely means that we’ll start hearing more about the prequel, including the actor chosen to play Elle, sooner rather than later. Much likeLegally Blondehelped make Witherspoon a household name, the same could potentially be true for whatever young actor is cast as Elle.
Our Take On Elle
The Prequel Has Another Hurdle To Clear
Part of what makes the firstLegally Blondeso enjoyable is tracking Elle’s evolution. Directed by Robert Luketic, with Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith writing the script, the 2001 film features some genuinely enjoyable growth for Woods. It’ll be a tricky task to start over without that evolution and presumably find it again without nullifying the movie that fans love. Prequels having to develop a character before their initial debut can be difficult for a series, as currently seen inDexter: Original Sin. But forPrime Video, which has had some success with young adult shows, so hopefully,Ellewill follow that trend,
