A ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ reboot? Reese Witherspoon says ‘I hope so’
Reese Witherspoon hinted at a possible “Sweet Home Alabama” reboot during an appearance on “Today with Hoda & Jenna” this week, and we would be delighted.
“I hope so,” she said. “I think that would be a great idea.”
Hosts Hota Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager then asked if Witherspoon would appear in any reboot. “We’re just trying to manifest this thing,” Bush Hager said.
“I mean, I don’t know. Maybe,” Witherspoon responded. “That sounds fun. Do you guys want me to?”
The hosts immediately answered yes, as Witherspoon laughed and the studio audience applauded. “I’ll make some calls,” she then said.
“Sweet Home Alabama,” the romantic comedy starring Witherspoon, turns 20 this year. The Oscar-winner and New Orleans native stars as Melanie Carmichael, a young woman who has reinvented herself as a New York City socialite and must return to her hometown to Alabama to obtain a divorce from her husband after seven years of separation.
The film opened in Sept. 27, 2002. It received mixed reviews from critics, with a 39 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and consensus reading, “Reese Witherspoon is charming enough, but the road to Alabama is well-traveled.” But it had a $30 million budget and earned $180 million worldwide, solidifying it as a hit and Witherspoon as a bankable movie star.
To celebrate 20 years, we listened to the DVD commentary with director Andy Tennant (“Ever After,” “Hitch”) to learn more behind-the-scenes stories and tidbits about the production, Witherspoon and more, including whether or not the movie was actually shot in Alabama. One fun tidbit: When the band covers Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” during the catfish festival, the actors hit the dance floor. Tennant said not a single one of them could dance, especially Josh Lucas, even with three weeks of rehearsal. “I’ve actually never worked with a clumsier bunch.”