Reese Witherspoon's Legally Blonde prequel Elle is branded a 'pointless money grab' that 'nobody wants to see' by disgruntled fans

Daily Mail​

21-05-2025

As casting announcements continue to be made about the upcoming Legally Blonde prequel, disgruntled fans have dubbed the Reese Witherspoon-produced series a 'pointless money grab' that 'nobody wants to see'.
Titled Elle, the production is set to sashay onto screens in summer 2026, and features 24-year-old rising star Lexi Minetree as a young Elle Woods.
But while some fans are keen to see their favourite Harvard-bound heroine in her formative years, others are asking: do we really need to see what Elle was like before she knew what 'habeas corpus' meant?
The new show promises to explore Elle's early life, presumably in the sun-drenched halls of her Beverly Hills high school, before she turned heartbreak into Harvard acceptance.
But if early internet reactions are anything to go by, not everyone is buying the glittery reboot.
While there's certainly excitement around the casting of fresh-faced Minetree, critics have taken to social media to call out what they see as yet another example of a sequel/prequel/spin-off nobody actually asked for.
One user on X said: 'This is so funny to me because why does Elle Woods need a prequel?
'She is one of the most fully formed characters. We fully understand her whole deal and where she came from basically instantly.'
Echoing this sentiment, another person added: 'Also there's no room for good character arc!
'Nobody wants to see how Elle became the person she was at the start of the movie… the movie has her arc, so any arc they give her in the show is going to ring false.'
The original 2001 film Legally Blonde, starring Reese Witherspoon in arguably her most well-known role, was praised not just for its bright visuals and punchy dialogue, but for its portrayal of Elle's transformation.
From ditzy fashion student to rising legal star, her backstory isn't a mystery, it's clear from the first five minutes, argued fans.
Another user said: 'Doesn't even make sense… The entire point of Legally Blonde is to show Elle's character arc from superficial to empathetic.
'She wouldn't have had a major character growth story before the events of the film or else it negates the entire point of the film.'
Others questioned the narrative logic. If viewers know Elle's long-time boyfriend Warner Huntington is going to dump her, do they really want to watch them date, they asked.
'Are we supposed to cheer for her and that man when we know what's going to happen?' one commenter asked.
Having already been stretched into three additional films and a hit musical, the prequel series is the latest reimagining. Pictured left, Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, and right, Lexi Minetree as Elle Woods
Another said: 'There is no depth to cover.'
Legally Blonde has already been stretched across three films, a successful Broadway musical and countless Halloween costumes.
The idea of mining the character further suggests, for some, less a hunger for storytelling and more a hunger for nostalgia-fuelled profit.
'It's just a money grab,' one viewer wrote.
Others have suggested the new show is aimed at a younger demographic - perhaps those who weren't yet born when Elle first stood in her pink power suit and told the Harvard admissions board, 'What, like it's hard?'
The series might bring a beloved story to Gen Z viewers who didn't experience the original in real time.
And with the growing popularity of female-led coming-of-age series, perhaps the producers are hoping Elle will follow in the footsteps of shows like Gossip Girl (rebooted), The Summer I Turned Pretty and XO, Kitty.
'I think the reason we see so many sequels, prequels, remakes, live-action remakes, etc. is that our culture is stagnating, and creativity is on the decline,' said one commenter.
But many have questioned whether another iteration of the Legally Blonde series is really necessary
Whether the series turns out to be a fun addition to the Legally Blonde universe or simply another unnecessary spin-off, Elle Woods remains as beloved as ever.
Meanwhile, filming of the new series is well underway and the cast were spotted shooting a scene in Los Angeles earlier this month.
Minetree, who Reese cast as the young Elle Woods after a four-month nationwide search, was seen filming shopping scenes with her co-stars on the iconic Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
Reese will executively produce the show, 24 years after starring as the well-known character in the first film.
In February, Reese announced the news that Lexi got the role of Elle and in May, 2024, Reese reprised her role as Elle Woods to announce the new series.
The star is developing the Legally Blonde spinoff with the help of her production company Hello Sunshine.