Legally Blonde is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic and written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, based on Amanda Brown's novel. It stars Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Matthew Davis, Victor Garber, and Jennifer Coolidge. The story follows Elle Woods (Witherspoon), a sorority girl who attempts to win back her ex-boyfriend Warner Huntington III (Davis) by getting a Juris Doctor degree at Harvard Law School, and in the process, overcomes stereotypes against blondes and triumphs as a successful lawyer.

The outline of Legally Blonde originated from Brown's experiences as a blonde going to Stanford Law School while being obsessed with fashion and beauty, reading Elle magazine, and frequently clashing with the personalities of her peers. In 2000, Brown met producer Marc Platt, who helped her develop her manuscript into a novel. Platt brought in screenwriters McCullah Lutz and Smith to adapt the book into a motion picture. The project caught the attention of Luketic, an Australian director new to Hollywood.

The film was released on July 13, 2001, and was a hit with audiences, grossing $142 million worldwide on an $18 million budget, as well as receiving positive reviews from critics, with praise for Witherspoon's performance in particular. It was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture: Musical or Comedy. Witherspoon received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and the 2002 MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance. The box office success led to a series of films: a 2003 sequel, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, a 2009 direct-to-DVD spin-off, Legally Blondes, and in 2007 Legally Blonde: The Musical. In May 2020, it was announced that Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor were signed to write a third film. The third film was set to release in 2022 but has been delayed to an undisclosed date. An upcoming Amazon Prime Video prequel series about Woods's high school years, Elle, is being developed by Witherspoon.