Why Josh Lucas Doesn't See a 'Sweet Home Alabama' Sequel Happening Anytime Soon
The actor's romcom with Reese Witherspoon was released in 2002.
Josh Lucas is holding out hope for Sweet Home Alabama 2, but doesn't think it's in the cards for at least a few years. While promoting his new film, The Forever Purge, the 50-year-old actor opened up about a possible sequel to the 2002 romcom he starred in alongside Reese Witherspoon.
"Look, I would love to do the sequel," he admitted on SiriusXM’s Pop Culture Spotlight with Jessica Shaw. "The issue is Reese's got a book club. I'm saying that like laughingly, but... I've heard like, 'Oh, you can talk to her about stuff five years from now.' You know, she's a mogul."
In addition to her wildly popular book club, Witherspoon runs a production company, co-stars on AppleTV+'s The Morning Show, and leads clothing line Draper James, among other things. All of her success is something Lucas predicted back when they were making their beloved flick.
"Back when I was doing Sweet Home Alabama, I, for some reason, remember telling the director or somebody speaking about her, but I said, 'I bet this woman ends up running a movie studio one day,'" Lucas recalled. "She's even beyond that at this point. She's her own version of Oprah Winfrey now, right? It's extraordinary and not surprising either, at all."
Lucas said he's willing to wait, though, telling his former co-star, "Reese, c'mon, let's go do it."
During a Facebook Live chat back in 2016, Witherspoon gushed over the film and revealed that she'd be down for making a sequel.
"I love Sweet Home Alabama!" Witherspoon said. "We are not making a sequel that I know of, but if Disney wants to call me, I would happily make a Sweet Home Alabama 2!"
When ET spoke to Lucas a few years later, the actor likewise expressed a willingness to reprise his role as Jake, as long as Witherspoon did so with her role of Melanie.
"I'm up for it. I know Reese's said she is as well," Lucas told ET at the time. "The director [Andy Tennant] is absolutely up for it. I spoke to him about it a couple of times recently. So look, I throw it out to you, Reese."
"I think the person who's the one to put it together is Reese, so I'm hoping," he continued. "Who knows? She's got a lot of irons in the fire to say the least. Hopefully this is one of them."
As for if there's any movement to make the sequel a reality, Lucas revealed that Tennant "has a script and a development he has done," but cautioned that this "doesn't mean" that there's anything official just yet.
"I think the thing about the story, it's one of those [where] they're eternally in love," Lucas said. "So, even if they're going through a rough time, whatever it is, they're eternally in love. That's kind of the beauty in that magical film."
While fans will have to wait on pins and needles to hear about a potential Sweet Home Alabama sequel, another one of Witherspoon's beloved flicks, Legally Blonde, is coming back for a third movie. Watch the video below for more on Witherspoon's return as Elle Woods.
RELATED CONTENT: