Legally Blonde Sequels and Adaptations
2001 Romantic Comedy Inspired Sequels, a Musical, and a TV Series
Jun 10, 2009
Legally Blonde is based on a novel by Amanda Brown, in which she wrote about her disastrous experiences in law school.
Amanda Brown Based Story on Real Experiences
Brown says (in an interview included in the bonus features of the Legally Blonde 2001 DVD release) that her novel is based on her letters to friends complaining about people and practices during her early days at law school. She says the letters were so well received that she decided to compile them into a book, and make composite characters based loosely on her experiences.
Being her first book, Brown says she didn’t expect much response to Legally Blonde, but found herself presented with a film opportunity shortly after finding a publisher. No one, especially Brown, could have predicted have far that perky little law student and her dog would go over the years. From books to movies to stage shows, the following represent some of the works inspired by Legally Blonde.
The Original Movie Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde (2001)
- Elle Woods, a rich California sorority girl, decides to enter law school to win back her long-time boyfriend who dumped her because she wasn’t serious enough for his political aspirations.
- Starring Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Matthew Davis, Victor Garber, Jennifer Coolidge, Holland Taylor
- Director: Robert Luketic
- Screenwriters: Based on the novel by Amanda Brown; screenplay written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith
- Run Time: 96 minutes
- Rating: PG-13 (for language and sexual references)
The Movie Sequels to Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, & Blonde (2003)
- Now engaged to be married, Elle Woods heads for work in Washington D.C. to satisfy her other passion: getting an anti-animal testing bill passed.
- Starring Reese Witherspoon, Sally Field, Regina King, Jennifer Coolidge, Bruce McGill, Luke Wilson, Bob Newhart, Dana Ivey, Mary Lynn Rojskub
- Director: Charles Herman-Wurmfeld
- Screenwriters: Based on characters created by Amanda Brown; story by Eve Ahlert, Dennis Drake, Kate Kondell; screenplay by Kate Kondell
- Run Time: 95 minutes
- Rating: PG-13 (for some sex-related humor)
Legally Blondes (2008)
- Elle’s pampered blonde cousins from England move to California naively expecting to fit in perfectly at their new school.
- Starring Camilla Rosso, Becky Rosso, Brittany Curran, Chad Broskey, Bobby Campo, Trevor Duke
- Director: Savage Steve Holland
- Screenwriters: Chad Gomez Creasey, Dara Resnik Creasey
- Run Time: 86 minutes
- Rating: PG (for brief language)
- Additional Information: Released straight to DVD; “Reese Witherspoon Presents” appears on the DVD cover, although lending her name seems to be her only connection to this spinoff.
The Stage Show and Reality Series for Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde – The Musical (opened 2007)
A musical tribute on Broadway to the characters and story of the 2001 movie Legally Blonde, starring Laura Bell Bundy as the charismatic Elle Woods.
Legally Blonde – The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods (2008)
An MTV reality show with eight episodes that aired during the summer of 2008, in which three judges auditioned young women to take over the role of Elle Woods in the Broadway show. The musical show is currently on a national tour.
Books Related to Legally Blonde
Brown, Amanda. Legally Blonde. Sphere, 2003. ISBN: 978-0751534559, 288 pages, Fiction, Paperback.
Standiford, Natalie. Elle Woods #1: Blonde at Heart. Hyperion, 2006. ISBN: 978-0786838431, 240 pages, Young Adult Fiction, Paperback.
Standiford, Natalie. Elle Woods #2: Beach Blonde. Hyperion, 2006. ISBN: 978-0786838448, 240 pages, Young Adult Fiction, Paperback.
Brown, Amanda. Elle Woods #3: Vote Blonde. Hyperion, 2006. ISBN: 978-0786838875, 224 pages, Young Adult Fiction, Paperback.
Brown, Amanda. Elle Woods #4: Blonde Love. Hyperion, 2006. ISBN: 978-0786838882, 224 pages, Young Adult Fiction, Paperback.
To learn more about Legally Blonde, visit Internet Movie Database.
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