Sweet Home Alabama 2: Is the Sequel Happening? Here's What's Been Said

Could there be a sequel to the beloved 2002 romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama?

Josh Lucas recently stoked fans’ hopes when he revealed he’s fully on board with the idea of returning to the Deep South should the opportunity arise — he’s simply waiting on his costar, Reese Witherspoon.

The two actors played childhood soulmates who grow up and get married, only to have their relationship fall apart when Melanie (Witherspoon) leaves Jake (Lucas) to pursue a fashion career in New York City.

The estranged couple comes back together again when Melanie returns to Alabama to seek a divorce from Jake after her new boyfriend (Patrick Dempsey) proposes.

Here’s everything that’s been said about a possible sequel.

1. Josh Lucas has been hoping for a sequel

The actor, 48, has spoken about a possible sequel to the 2002 film several times, most recently telling Entertainment Tonight he was “up for it.”

“I know Reese’s said she is as well,” Lucas said on Wednesday. “The director [Andy Tennant] is absolutely up for it. I spoke to him about it a couple of times recently.”

He continued, “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. Who knows? She’s got a lot of irons in the fire, to say the least. Hopefully, this is one of them.”

In April, Lucas reiterated his interest during an interview with Good Morning America, saying he had spoken “extensively” with Tennant about a potential storyline for a sequel.

RELATED: Josh Lucas Calls on Reese Witherspoon to Make Sweet Home Alabama 2: ‘I Throw it Out to You’

“I’ve absolutely said yes,” Lucas said at the time. “He and I discussed it extensively, so we’re lobbying the world to join us.”

So what would Jake and Melanie’s relationship look like now, 17 years after the original debuted in theaters?

“The proposal that Andy Tennant — the director — had, which was quite interesting, is that my character is back in Alabama,” Lucas explained, “and Reese’s character is in New York with our kids and we’re divorced, so [their] whole life is super complicated.”

He added, “And Patrick Dempsey’s character is still in the picture. But that’s just a proposal.”

2. Reese Witherspoon isn’t opposed to the idea

In August 2016, Witherspoon revealed she’d be on board to play two of her classic characters: Elle Woods and Melanie.

“We’re not making a sequel that I know of, but if Disney wants to make a sequel they can just call me,” Witherspoon said during a Facebook Live Q&A session.

She added, “I would happily make Sweet Home Alabama 2.”

That same month, the Big Little Lies star shared a throwback photo of herself on the set of the 2002 film, writing, “Still rockin’ the cowboy boots👌🏼 #TBT#SweetHomeAlabama.”

Sweet Home Alabama was released in September 2002 and takes its title from the Lynyrd Skynyrd song of the same name.

The film grossed over $35 million in its opening weekend and earned over $130 million domestically during its theater run. It made another $53 million at the worldwide box office, with a budget of $30 million.