Reese Witherspoon shares how 'Top Gun: Maverick' inspired 'Legally Blonde 3'

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Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines 7/27

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Reese Witherspoon is returning to the big screen.

In a recent interview, the actress, 46, shared how the third installment of the "Legally Blonde" franchise was inspired by Tom Cruise’s "Top Gun: Maverick."

"I'm still hoping that 'Legally Blonde 3' is gonna come together in the right way," she told USA Today.

Reese Witherspoon said "Top Gun: Maverick" inspired "Legally Blonde 3." (Getty Images)

"It's just like 'Top Gun': They waited a long time to make another version of that movie, and I loved the nostalgia piece they incorporated in it," she explained. "So definitely that gave us a lot of inspiration about what we would want to do with Elle Woods and make sure that we had all those same touchstones that mattered to people (back) then."

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The "Big Little Lies" actress continued: "I feel like these characters are my friends, so I safeguard them. I would never make the subpar, mediocre version of their story." 

The screenplay for "Legally Blonde 3" was written by Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor, who was also behind "Parks and Recreation" and "Brooklyn-Nine Nine." Witherspoon confirmed back in 2018 that a threequel was in the works, much to the delight of fans.

"Legally Blonde 3" was set to be released in 2020 but was pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Getty Images)

The film had an initial release date of 2020 but was pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic. The movie is now set to bow in 2023.

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Elsewhere in Witherspoon’s interview with USA Today, she talked about her latest TV drama "Surface," which debuts Friday on Apple TV+.

"It reminded me of 'Big Little Lies,'" Witherspoon told the outlet. "It's this very affluent community, but there's this mystery lying underneath it all. It's unsettling, and as an audience member, you don't know who to trust. At the end of every episode, there's a moment where you're like, 'Oh, my God, that is completely not what I expected.'"  

Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Witherspoon attend Apple TV+'s "Surface" New York premiere. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy)

Witherspoon executive produces the new show, which stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw (who also executive produces), Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Stephan James and Ari Graynor.

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This marks Witherspoon and Mbatha-Raw’s third time working together. They appeared onscreen alongside one another in the 2018 film "A Wrinkle in Time" and in season one of AppleTV+'s "The Morning Show."

"It was an interesting place to start, to feel like I was building Sophie as the audience was experiencing her too," Mbatha-Raw told USA Today. "One of the essential questions of the show that I found fascinating was, 'Is it generous to protect people from the murky things about their history, or is it actually a selfish act?' There was lots to chew on." 

From left, Olivia Newman, Reese Witherspoon, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith and Delia Owens attend the "Where The Crawdads Sing" photo call in June. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/FilmMagic)

"Surface" will be the first time Mbatha-Raw, 39, has produced a show, and she credits Witherspoon’s production company Hello Sunshine for the opportunity.

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Witherspoon "certainly walks the talk, in terms of empowering women," Mbatha-Raw said. "I've been working for a bit now and have picked up so much along the way, so this was really a chance to develop my voice." 

Hello Sunshine's most recent production was the film "Where the Crawdads Sing," which was released earlier this month.