Hilary Duff is hopeful about the Lizzie McGuire reboot, sharing an update on the project's status after the Disney+ series halted development in 2020. The Disney+ reboot would have seen Duff reprise her role from the 2001 Disney Channel comedy series, following an older Lizzie. Duff is currently starring in and producing Hulu's How I Met Your Mother spin-off, How I Met Your Father.
Starring Duff as the titular character, Lizzie McGuire followed Duff's teenage girl through her life in junior high alongside best friends Miranda (Lalaine) and Gordo (Adam Lamberg). What made Lizzie McGuire stand apart from other comedy series aimed at young audiences was the inclusion of an animated Lizzie voiced by Duff, who would communicate her emotions and inner thoughts, as she navigates the stress and struggles of teenage life. Praised for its sincerity, writing, and relatability, Lizzie McGuire was well-received in its initial run, and the announcement of a revival series was met with anticipations from fans. Despite the excitement, the project never got off the ground and development stopped in December 2020, though Duff is still hopeful the project can find a home.
As reported by Variety, Duff opened up about the project during the magazine's weekly podcast, "Just for Variety". During the podcast, Duff revealed that she felt that the project wasn't entirely dead, instead being stuck in a sort of production limbo. Duff discussed the back and forth between herself and higher-ups at Disney+ when the project was in production, before stating that despite the current cancellation, she's still keeping her heart open in regards to the revival's possible future. Duff also stated that had the Lizzie McGuire reboot gone forward, she doubted that she would be able to take part in How I Met Your Father. Check out Duff's full update below.
“I don’t think it’s dead, and I don’t think it’s alive. I think it’s just kind of sitting there... [At first,] I was like, ‘No, thank you,’, and then one day, I was like, ‘Yup.’ There’s much love there. There’s always struggle with something that’s so loved and important to so many people, I just keep my heart and my mind open. I don’t think that ‘How I Met Your Father’ would’ve come about if ‘Lizzie’ had happened.”
Despite the original cast returning for the Disney+ revival, the lack of news about the project following its 2019 announcement caused many to speculate that the project was in trouble. Amid speculation that Disney was not comfortable with the series touching on more adult themes with its older protagonist, original series showrunner Terri Minsky stated that she felt the show would be best served at Hulu rather than on Disney+ following news of her leaving the project. Duff agreed with Minsky's thoughts, taking to Instagram to voice her support of a move to Hulu.
Though the series was canceled at Disney+ due to Duff and the company having differing visions, many fans likely share the star's hope that the series will one day see the light of day. As seen with similar projects, revisiting characters in their later life can be more than just cashing in on a popular title; it can create a story that can bring together generations. With a series well-regarded for its unique storytelling, sincerity, and relatability, the Lizzie McGuire reboot could easily create a strong emotional arc that could resonate with the modern struggles of those who grew up with it, if given the chance to touch on more adult themes.
Source: Variety