This is NOT what dreams are made of.
‘Lizzie McGuire’ star Hilary Duff announced Wednesday that Disney+’s planned reboot of the beloved coming-of-age series is not moving forward. The news comes on the heels of a public dispute between Duff and the studio giant over the revival’s creative vision.
“I’ve been so honored to have the character of Lizzie in my life,” Duff shared on social media. “She has made such a lasting impact on many, including myself. To see the fans’ loyalty and love for her, to this day, means so much to me. I know the efforts and conversations have been everywhere trying to make a reboot work but, sadly & despite everyone’s best efforts, it isn’t going to happen.”
Since it was unexpectedly unveiled at the entertainment company’s 2019 D23 Expo, the highly anticipated ‘Lizzie McGuire’ comeback hasn’t exactly gone according to picture-perfect plan. Shortly after Duff and her costars reunited on set that fall, original series creator Terri Minsky — who was also set to helm the reboot — exited the production, leaving its status in limbo.
It later became clear that Duff’s attachment to the series was fragile as well, after she called her employers out for refusing to stream the now-30-year-old Lizzie’s journey on Disney+ unless it was “under the ceiling of a PG rating.”
“I feel a huge responsibility to honor the fans’ relationship with LIZZIE who, like me, grew up seeing themselves in her,” she said on social media at the time. “It’s important to me that just as her experiences as a preteen/teenager navigating life were authentic, her next chapters are equally as real and relatable.”
“It would be a dream if Disney would let us move the show to Hulu, if they were interested, and I could bring this beloved character to life again,” she added.
Duff was 13 when the influential tween sitcom premiered on Disney Channel, where it ran for two seasons before culminating in the cult classic ‘Lizzie McGuire Movie,’ which hit theatres in spring 2003. (The franchise’s initial run was notably cut short after pay negotiations between Duff and Disney went sour.)
The actress has since appeared in a number of TV and film projects, including ‘A Cinderella Story,’ ‘Gossip Girl’ and her hit TV Land series, ‘Younger.’
“I want any reboot of Lizzie to be honest and authentic to who Lizzie would be today,” she continued in her latest Instagram post. “It’s what the character deserves. We can all take a moment to mourn the amazing woman she would have been and the adventures we would have taken with her.
“I’m very sad, but I promise everyone tried their best and the stars just didn’t align. Hey now, this is what 2020s made of.”