It's the trilogy we didn't know we needed -- Legally Blonde is set to return for a third movie. It's been 17 years since the first Legally Blonde introduced us to Elle Woods, played by Reese Witherspoon, and 15 years since its sequel. Now, according to Deadline, Witherspoon will be returning as Elle for a third time, with the screenwriters who adapted the original movie, Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith and Karen McCullah, back on board. Also from the first film, producers Marc Platt and Adam Siegel are returning, and will be joined by Witherspoon herself. The search for a director is still on.

Legally Blonde was a massive hit, raking in $141 million at the box office worldwide on an $18 million budget, with its sequel bringing in $124 million on a $45 million budget. The movies also continue to be major performers on DVD. As far as what the plot of the new movie will follow, Deadline reports that:

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I’m told it will be much in the spirit of the first film, in which Woods’ idealism and pink-dominant wardrobe prevailed over the cynicism and snootiness all around her after the freshly dumped former sorority sister heads to law school. The sequel brought her to D.C. to join the staff of a congresswoman to pass a bill to ban animal testing. The intention here is to make this more about female empowerment, a message that hits at a fortuitous time in the culture. The feeling is to draw back in the audience that grew up with the original film, and find a new global audience.

Witherspoon has been lobbying for the return of Legally Blonde for awhile, telling E! news last year that "I do think it’s a good time to do [another movie]. I think women need that kind of positivity right now.” The summer before she mentioned that “[Legally Blonde] was really fun. A lot of people have asked me if we’re going to make another Legally Blonde, and we’re thinking about it.” Even as far as back as 2015, Witherspoon appeared on an episode of Fashionably Late with Rachel Zoe, saying,

“A lot of writers over the years have come up with different ideas for it. I actually think it’s kind of great right now because we’re talking about women in politics and how important that is to get more women. And I think it’d be kind of a cool thing to have her be a Supreme Court justice or someone who runs for office.”

Lots of possibilities! If you're a fan of the original movie (and/or the sequel), let us know where you would like to see a third Legally Blonde cover, and where you think Elle Woods is now.