Paul Butcher makes his feeling about the Zoey 101 sequel, Zoey 102, very clear in a new video where he throws shade at the film using an iconic The Devil Wears Prada scene. Zoey 101 first premiered on Nickelodeon in 2005 and ran for 4 seasons before concluding in 2008. The coming-of-age series follows the adventures of Zoey Brooks (Jamie Lynn Spears) and her friend group as they navigate their teen years while attending a boarding school. On January 12, it was confirmed that Paramount+ is developing a sequel film titled Zoey 102 that will see the return of some of the original cast members. The film will premiere sometime in 2023 and be available to stream exclusively on Paramount+.
Butcher took to TikTok to express his feelings about the announcement of the sequel and threw shade at Zoey 101 and Spears in the process.
In the video, he participated in The Devil Wears Prada TikTok trend where users lip sync the scene where Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) says, "What if I don't want to live the way you live," and Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) responds, "Oh don't be ridiculous Andrea, everyone wants this." However, Butcher made a few adjustments to the trend, so it was insinuating the world doesn't want a Zoey 101 reboot, but Spears is ignoring that detail.
Who Is Coming Back For Zoey 102 (& Who Is Not)
A few original Zoey 101 stars have already signed onto return for Zoey 102. Spears will be returning to reprise her lead role as Zoey, as well as to serve as executive producer on the film's set. Sean Flynn will also return to portray Chase Matthews, Zoey's main love interest, while Erin Sanders will be back as Zoey's best friend, Quinn. Matthew Underwood is also slated to return as Logan Reese, who was Quinn's boyfriend. Additionally, recurring cast members Christopher Massey, Abby Wilde, and Jack Salvatore will reprise their roles as Michael Barret, Stacey Dillsen, and Mark Del Figgalo, respectively. Meanwhile, Butcher will, obviously, be leading the group of cast members who will not return. Austin Butler, who has attained high fame since appearing in Zoey 101 season 4, will also not be returning. Victoria Justice and Alexa Nikolas are two other notable cast members who will not return for the sequel.
Why Is The Zoey 101 Movie So Controversial?
While Butcher's shade was pretty brutal, he wasn't entirely wrong that there are many individuals out there who don't want a Zoey 101 revival. The controversy stems from Nikolas' allegations of bullying and a toxic work environment on the show's set. She alleged that Spears' sister, Britney, had screamed at her in a distressing confrontation. Following the confrontation, she alleged she was gaslit by executives on the show. Plus, the show's creator was Dan Schneider, who has come under scrutiny for allegations of abuse and misconduct on the set of his Nickelodeon shows.
Nickelodeon as a whole has come under scrutiny following the release of the tell-all memoir of former iCarly star Jennette McCurdy, who detailed her poor experiences on the show's set. Given the controversies that plagued Zoey 101, there is the question of whether it is appropriate to revive a show and to continue the work of now disgraced executives and ignore how the revival could be triggering to those who had bad experiences on the show. However, iCarly went ahead and received a revival series from Paramount+, and now Zoey 101 is following in its footsteps. While Zoey 102 is officially happening, its controversial history means it is going to face some opposition in the coming months.
Source: Paul Butcher