Prime Video's Elle TV Show: What We Know About The Legally Blonde Prequel Series

Reese Witherspoon stands in court with a look of revelation in Legally Blonde.
(Image credit: MGM)

I refuse to object to this because Elle Woods is coming back to the small screen in Elle!

When Legally Blonde was released back in 2001, it inspired an entire generation of young women, with a fantastic performance from Reese Witherspoon and the even more awesome Legally Blonde cast. A sequel was released not that long after, but with nearly twenty years and no new sequel, fans have wondered if we'll ever see Elle again. 

Thankfully, that question has been answered. While there's no confirmation of Legally Blonde 3 happening, we will be seeing her another way – in the show, Elle. What is this going to be about? Here is what we know so far. 

What Is The Elle Premiere Date?

Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde.

(Image credit: Twentieth Century Fox)

At the time of this writing, there is no set premiere date for Elle, which isn't that surprising. The prequel series was only first announced in May 2024, so it would be pretty shocking to have a premiere date already. Don't expect it to be on any 2024 TV schedule

That being said, it could end up coming out in 2025, based on how these kinds of shows work. It's clear there's a set premise already and that things are moving in the right direction. For a show like Elle, there likely won't be many special effects that might make us wait longer than usual. If casting and filming go over well, we could see it before too much longer. 

Elle Will Follow Elle Woods In High School In The 90s

Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde

(Image credit: MGM)

I know, I know, everyone and their mother was hoping for Legally Blonde 3 and had their theories ready to go as to what it might be about if it were to be confirmed – like Elle running for president or something like that. 

I Watched Legally Blonde As A Grownup And There Are 4 Things I Appreciate About Elle Woods So Much More

However, Elle will be different. Instead, it will be a prequel TV series. According to Amazon Prime, it's actually going to flashback to the 90s, when she was in high school, and we will get to follow the journey that turned her into the Elle Woods that we know today. 

The Head of Television at Amazon MGM Studios, Vernon Sanders, even offered his thoughts on the new series in a statement, saying that he was incredibly excited for the latest story and how "honored" they were to be making the series:

One of the most quotable, iconic, and beloved characters that is ingrained in the fabric of Hollywood history has to be Elle Woods, and we are honored to bring her origin story to our global Prime Video customers.

This is a great idea. Would I have loved LB 3? Of course I would, but Elle will give us a great chance to learn more about arguably one of the most popular female movie characters of all time. 

Aside from that, there are plenty of fantastic prequel series that have made franchises even better – House of the Dragon is an excellent prequel to Game of Thrones, and House of the Dragon Season 2 is coming out in 2024. Andor is unique and a wonderful prequel to Rogue One. The comedy series Ted was a huge hit and is a prequel to the original film, Ted. 

Prequel series can be really well received, and I think Elle will be a great contender for one of the best. 

Laura Kittrell Is Serving As Showrunner

Jennifer Coolidge and Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde

(Image credit: MGM)

Amazon Prime also confirmed that Laura Kittrel will serve as showrunner for the series. She is also credited as a creator and an executive producer. 

Kittrel has worked on various TV shows and movies that will definitely get you hyped for Elle. These include High School, Insecure (where she co-produced 36 episodes), and Black Monday. She also wrote for The Michael J. Fox Show, The Comedians, and Downward Dog, as well as the previously mentioned series.

Reese Witherspoon Will Work As An Executive Producer On The Show

Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde

(Image credit: MGM Distribution Co.)

While I think Reese Witherspoon doesn't look a day over 29, it would be pretty surprising to see her reprise the role of Elle in a prequel series about her, so we know that she will not be back physically as Elle, at least in a starring capacity. 

But what we do know is that Witherspoon will be back as an executive producer on the show. In fact, when it was announced, she released a statement that showed just how excited she is for the story of Elle Woods to continue:

I truly couldn't be more excited about this 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. What could be better than that?! I'm extremely grateful to the incredible teams at Prime Video and Hello Sunshine - along with our amazing writer Laura Kittrell - for making this dream of mine come true. Legally Blonde is back!

Witherspoon even posted about the new show in a TikTok in May 2024, giving her fans a tease of it:

@reesewitherspoon

♬ Perfect Day - Hoku

For those who don't know, Hello Sunshine is actually a media company that Reese Witherspoon founded. It has produced and worked on some of the biggest hits of the last decade, including Gone Girl, Wild, and Big Little Lies, the latter two of which featured Witherspoon as a star. 

The company has also worked on various other movies and shows, such as Where the Crawdads Sing, Something from Tiffany's, Your Place or Mine, Lucy in the Sky, Little Fires Everywhere, Tiny Beautiful Things, Daisy Jones & the Six, one of the best Apple TV+ shows, The Morning Show, and many more. 

Reese Witherspoon's best movies certainly include Legally Blonde and its sequel. And it is a shame that we won't be able to see her as Elle in a starring capacity. However, with her production company, as well as herself, behind the wheel, Elle is going to be a great addition to the world.   

Elle Will Come Out On Prime Video

Some of the best movies ever are on Amazon Prime

(Image credit: Amazon)

The last thing we know that was previously mentioned is that Elle will be on Prime Video. Prime confirmed the show during an upfront presentation in May 2024. 

Truthfully, this is an excellent thing for Amazon Prime as a whole. The streaming platform has created some of the absolute biggest shows of the last few years. Fallout had a massive debut, so much so that Fallout Season 2 is confirmed. The Boys is an excellent superhero series – and yes, we are still waiting on The Boys Season 4. Another show, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskin, earned a Season 2 renewal as well. 

Amazon Prime tends to knock it out of the park with its shows, and I have a strong feeling that Elle will be on that list. 

What are you most excited about regarding Elle? I need to brush up on my legal jargon for this one—or maybe just my 90s culture. 

Alexandra Ramos
Content Producer

A self-proclaimed nerd and lover of Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire, Alexandra Ramos is a Content Producer at CinemaBlend. She first started off working in December 2020 as a Freelance Writer after graduating from the Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in English. She primarily works in features for movies, TV, and sometimes video games. (Please don't debate her on The Last of Us 2, it was amazing!) She is also the main person who runs both our daily newsletter, The CinemaBlend Daily, and our ReelBlend newsletter.