Reese Witherspoon, who played Elle Woods, the upbeat lawyer in the Legally Blonde franchise, returns to play the role after almost two decades in the third film of the franchise.

The first film Legally Blonde, released in 2001, tracked the story of Elle Woods, who follows her ex-boyfriend to law school and ends up pursuing a career in law herself. A direct sequel to the first part, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, hit the screen two years later and it featured Elle going to Washington DC to advocate for animal rights.

The third part is likely to be scripted by the writers of the first film, Kirsten Smith and Karen McCullah. In addition to playing the lead role, Reese Witherspoon will also produce the film through her Hello Sunshine company.

The makers are yet to clarify the setting of the third part and whether it is a direct sequel. An official announcement about the complete cast and crew is expected soon.