On July 2, moviegoers will have three very different new movies to choose from – a cartoon, a futuristic actioner, and a comedy.

Maybe that’s because filling the comedic slot this Fourth of July weekend is "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde," featuring Reese Witherspoon as the highly fashion-conscious Elle Woods. The film will mark Reese’s first attempt at a sequel and given the success of the first "Legally Blonde" and the charm
she displayed that won both critics and fans alike, there is a lot to live up to with "Legally Blonde 2."

Filmed on a modest budget of $18M, the first "Legally Blonde" made around $96M domestically, which in turn made MGM think "sequel" almost as fast as Elle could point out a fashion faux-pas from across a crowded auditorium. So two years later, we have "Legally Blonde 2," with Elle Woods, Attorney at Law, clashing with Washington DC’s society instead of Harvard’s, and this time around fighting for animal rights, speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves.

In it, she will try to put a stop to cosmetics testing on animals (a plot that was dear to me the moment I heard of it). She is driven by the fact that the parents of her beloved Chihuahua, Bruiser are being held captive at a lab; in response to this outrage, she decides to go to Washington DC to make a difference, and to get a bill passed that will do so.

From the trailer and commercials, you may have seen the scene where Elle is walking up the steps of Capitol Hill – a pick dot in a sea of black and gray suits. She sticks out like a sore thumb, but as with the first film, that seems to be the point. Though people will most likely judge and dismiss her at first sight, she will find a way to make them listen and realize that what she’s saying makes sense, and that beyond the valley, she’s talking smart.

If this all sounds familiar, I think it’s because it is. It seems that although this sequel finds Elle in a whole new world, with a new passion to earnestly pursue, she must go through the same numbers as in the first film. I have not yet seen "Legally Blonde 2," but from early buzz, it seems as if Elle doesn’t get to build on the triumphs she earned in the last film, but rather, gets to do the same film one more time.

As said, "Legally Blonde" worked for many because Reese’s take on Elle Woods was charming, and despite knowing what would happen by film’s end (as with most sunny comedies), the audience couldn’t help but root for her. The first film made Reese a bankable star and followed by the success of "Sweet Home Alabama" ($127M), she has earned a major pay increase, from $1M to $15M for this summer’s very-pink installment. That puts a lot of pressure on her styled shoulders – to draw the audiences back.

And will moviegoers want to see Elle go through the same trials as last time? Will we want to see her make some of the same missteps, only to see her make strides by film’s end? Haven’t we already seen this, and more importantly, why would Elle have to go through it all again? And how disappointing will it be for us to watch her be dismissed because she wears pink, speaks valley, and is very much into fashion? We know that she is smart, savvy, and dedicated, and shouldn't this be apparent to others too despite her being dressed like "Capitol Barbie."

Those questions asked (and not yet answered), we must also remember that Reese Witherspoon is popular. And this summer, with films basically having one good week and then so-so weeks to follow, "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde" will certainly rely on her star power to get people in theater seats to want to see Elle Woods again.

And if it proves to be not as surprising or not as good as the first one, perhaps it will still be OK. "Sweet Home Alabama" was as predictable as anything and look at how much money it made. Maybe it’s all about timing, and maybe it will have legs due to its lightness. Perhaps it could find a steady and loyal crowd like the glorious "Finding Nemo" has, and to a lesser degree, the very easy-going "The Italian Job." There doesn’t appear to be another comedy like "Legally Blonde 2" coming out in the weeks ahead and so this is also promising for it.

As for this particular Fourth of July weekend, there are as said to be three big releases, but with them all being different, it doesn’t seem as if they will infringe on each other’s territories. Those who want to check out "Terminator 3" would probably have no interest in seeing "Legally Blonde 2," and "Sinbad"’s
main competition will be "Nemo," not Elle and her Capitol gang. Thus, "Legally Blonde 2" should get as many fans as any weekend released; and with the holiday, it should easily make more than what the first installment made in its first weekend: $20M.

This time around, the production budget is estimated at around $25M, so Reese and MGM look to come out winners with whatever "Legally Blonde 2"’s final domestic box-office take is. I think it should make over $100M by its end, giving Reese another $100M movie – three out of her last four; the exception being "The Importance of Being Earnest" at only $8.3M (but the sort of film she will hopefully not forget in favor of only romantic or very-pink comedies. Her next project being Mina Nair’s "Vanity Fair" is encouraging, looking as if she will balance her film projects, not forgetting what made her stand out in the first place).

As for promotion for the film, I think MGM should release a few commercials that showcase the plot of Elle wanting to get legislation passed for animals because as of now, it seems only focused on her outfits and cheery remarks. To counter these, it’d be nice to see a promo that deals more with plot than
fashion, routines, and outrageous friends.

Being a star and married to Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon gets free pub without having to actually do the promoting, but she did have the "Vogue" cover and I’m sure she’ll be on a few more talk shows before the film’s release. People will definitely know that "Legally Blonde 2" is an option come July 2, and with a subtitle like "Red, White & Blonde," what better time to release it at?