Hello Sunshine’s Head of TV and Film on 10 Years of Reese Witherspoon’s Production Company, ‘Big Little Lies’ Season 3, Apple’s ‘Lucky’ and More ‘Elle’
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- Hello Sunshine is approaching its 10th anniversary with a loaded 2025–2027 slate, headlined by two July premieres just two weeks apart: Amazon's "Legally Blonde" prequel series "Elle" and Apple TV+'s Anya Taylor-Joy action miniseries "Lucky."
- Lauren Neustadter, Hello Sunshine's president and head of TV and film, confirms "Big Little Lies" Season 3 will be based on Liane Moriarity's upcoming sequel novel "Big Little Truths" and bring back Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, and Laura Dern alongside Reese Witherspoon.
- "Elle" Season 2 wrapped production before Season 1 premiered — a decision Neustadter attributes to needing consistent gloomy Seattle weather rather than waiting through summer; each season covers a semester of the protagonist's junior year of college.
- "Lucky" marked Hello Sunshine's move into action-heavy territory, prompting Neustadter to bring in showrunner Jonathan Tropper to "architect" the sequences while protecting the lead character's vulnerability ahead of the source book's publication.
- Hello Sunshine's 2027 pipeline includes Sony Pictures' "The Nightingale" starring Dakota and Elle Fanning, the fifth season of "The Morning Show," and additional films moving into production.
- Neustadter says fan response to "Elle" has centered on its joyful tone and its Eva character — played by June Diane Raphael as a "love letter" to original "Legally Blonde" viewers now navigating midlife identity questions.
Why it matters: Neustadter's reveal that Hello Sunshine wrapped "Elle" Season 2 before Season 1 aired — driven by a bet on Seattle weather and Amazon's early confidence — removes post-launch audience feedback from the creative process. Meanwhile, anchoring "Big Little Lies" Season 3 to Moriarity's sequel novel gives the franchise a structural roadmap after Season 2's critical stumble when it diverged from the source.
