Reese Witherspoon Set To Reprise Role For A Surprising Cult Classic Sequel
A surprising 90s cult classic is getting a sequel, and Reese Witherspoon is set to star in it. According to Deadline, Reese Witherspoon will be reprising her role of Tracy Flick from Election in the second chapter of Tracy’s story, Tracy Flick Can’t Win. In addition to starring in the film, Witherspoon will also be producing.
Several years before her portrayal of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (2001), Reese Witherspoon won the hearts of movie-goers everywhere as the overachieving high school student Tracy Flick in Election. Now, Tracy is all grown up, but she is still desperately trying to win her way to the top. Tracy Flick Can’t Win is based on a novel of the same name by Tom Perotta, who is also the author of the book the original film was based on.
Reese Witherspoon’s character in Election is less than ethical when it comes to getting what she wants, and what she wants is to win the class presidency at her high school. Matthew Broderick plays Jim McAllister, a government teacher who recognizes Tracy’s shady ways and doesn’t want her to win for fear that she will be a bad influence on the other students. Jim tries to rig the election by convincing Paul (Chris Klein), a stereotypical dim-witted athlete who is very popular, to run against Tracy—causing a feud between teacher and student when Tracy finds out about her teacher’s involvement.
The original film was directed by Alexander Payne, who has a knack for bringing dark comedy to what may have otherwise seemed like an ordinary story. Payne is also known for directing Sideways and About Schmidt, two films that also bring the extraordinary to the mundane. Payne adapted the Election screenplay from the original novel along with co-writer Jim Taylor. The pair will be creating the sequel’s screenplay adaptation together as well.
Reese Witherspoon was nominated for her first Golden Globe based on her performance in Election. Since then, she has gone on to become Hollywood royalty, starring and directing some of cinema’s biggest films. She is currently starring opposite Jennifer Aniston in Apple TV+’s The Morning Show, a series that delves into the drama behind the cutthroat industry of morning television broadcasting.
While Reese Witherspoon had already had several notable roles before Election, including Annette Hargrove in Cruel Intentions, the cult classic definitely helped the actress gain more traction in her career. That is why it is no surprise that along with reprising one of her earliest roles, Witherspoon will also be producing the sequel to the classic. Tracy Flick Can’t Win will be distributed by Paramount Pictures and will stream on Paramount+.
The sequel will follow Reese Witherspoon’s same Tracy Flick from Election, now as a grown-up working as an assistant principal who is still striving to achieve the top spot. Like the original film, Tracy Flick Can’t Win will have the same satirical and dark comedic undertones while telling a story that is incredibly relatable to the mundane reality that we all must live.
