Reese Witherspoon may as well be the queen of rom-coms. The actress has had a slew of different romantic hits including Legally Blonde and Four Christmases, but one that has emerged as a fan favorite over the years is Sweet Home Alabama. The movie came out in 2002, and has attracted rom-com lovers of all ages, now it is somewhat of a classic for fans of the genre. Josh Lucas, who plays the small-town love interest is unforgettable, and he recently dished if a potential sequel would be possible.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Lucas was asked if he would be interested in a potential sequel, and if Witherspoon would reprise her iconic role. While he would love to do another, busy schedules may prevent the project from happening. The actor explained:
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. ... 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.
There is clearly a lot of love and support for another installment, so I won’t lose hope quite yet, but there are a ton of projects the original cast is involved in that may get in the way. Reese Witherspoon is especially busy, as Lucas noted. Her production company, Hello Sunshine is behind a long list of upcoming projects in Hollywood including Daisy Jones and the Six and Legally Blonde 3. She is starring in the Legally Blonde sequel as well, in addition to the AppleTV+ series The Morning Show, and a Tinker Bell live-action film in development.
There are so many Reese Witherspoon projects to look forward to, but I just can’t stop thinking about a Sweet Home Alabama sequel. The original film is about a New York fashion designer, played by Witherspoon, who becomes engaged to a respectable bachelor, played by Patrick Dempsey. However, she can’t marry him unless her high school boyfriend who she married agrees to divorce her. She travels back to her hometown and mistakenly finds herself rekindling her former romance. I know fans are just dying to find out what happened to the couple after the credits rolled, so maybe enough fan support could make it happen.
The potential for a sequel has been discussed before, but Witherspoon’s understandably busy schedule seems to hold the project back. However, Josh Lucas seems to consistently be on board. Since Sweet Home Alabama, the actor has gone on to act in movies like Ford vs Ferrari, and currently is a cast member on Yellowstone. He also hasn’t strayed too far from his romantic roots, as he starred alongside Katie Holmes in the 2020 romantic drama The Secret: Dare to Dream.
We may have to wait a while if a Sweet Home Alabama sequel were to happen, but if you are looking to revisit the original film, it is currently available to rent on Amazon Prime. For more information on where to watch some other romantic comedies, make sure to check out our feature on some of CinemaBlend’s favorite rom-coms.
