Fan-Favorite Reese Witherspoon Movie Gets Surprising Sequel From Paramount+

The fan-favorite Reese Witherspoon movie Election is getting a surprise sequel, which is headed to Paramount+, and Reese Witherspoon is returning to star in it! Titled “Tracy Flick Can’t Win,” the sequel will focus on Witherspoon’s character Tracy Flick, who tried (unsuccessfully) to win her high school election through some dirty political means while battling morally dubious high school teacher Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick). Election director and co-writer Alexander Payne is also onboard for the sequel as director and co-writer; Jim Taylor will help co-write the film. 

Tracy Flick Can’t Win will also be based on the sequel novel to Election (also called “Tracy Flick Can’t Win”), both of which were written by author Tom Perrotta (The Leftovers). The sequel novel was released just this year, following Tracy Flick in her 40s working as assistant principal at a New Jersey public high school. The plot revolves around Tracy’s ambition to take over the job of principal, as her boss approaches retirement. 

According to Variety, Reese Witherspoon will produce Tracy Flick Can’t Win alongside Lauren Neustadter for Hello Sunshine (a company of Candle Media); Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa are producing for Bona Fide Productions, while Tom Perrotta will executive produce. 

You can check out the full synopsis for the book Tracy Flick Can’t Win, below: 

Tracy Flick is a hardworking assistant principal at a public high school in suburban New Jersey. Still ambitious but feeling a little stuck and underappreciated in midlife, Tracy gets a jolt of good news when the longtime principal, Jack Weede, abruptly announces his retirement, creating a rare opportunity for Tracy to ascend to the top job.

Energized by the prospect of her long-overdue promotion, Tracy throws herself into her work with renewed zeal, determined to prove her worth to the students, faculty, and School Board, while also managing her personal life-a 10-year-old daughter, a needy doctor boyfriend, and a burgeoning meditation practice. But nothing ever comes easily to Tracy Flick, no matter how diligent or qualified she happens to be.

Among her many other responsibilities, Tracy is enlisted to serve on the Selection Committee for the brand-new Green Meadow High School Hall of Fame. Her male colleagues’ determination to honor Vito Falcone-a star quarterback of dubious character who had a brief, undistinguished career in the NFL-triggers bad memories for Tracy, and leads her to troubling reflections about the trajectory of her own life and the forces that have left her feeling thwarted and disappointed, unable to fulfill her true potential.

As she broods on the past, Tracy becomes aware of storm clouds brewing in the present. Is she really a shoo-in for the Principal job? Is the Superintendent plotting against her? Why is the School Board President’s wife trying so hard to be her friend? And why can’t she ever get what she deserves?

Tracy Flick Can’t Win will stream on Paramount+.