Lizzie McGuire star Jake Thomas discusses the chances of the canceled reboot being revived. A reboot of the beloved Disney Channel show was previously in development, but was canceled in 2020 due to creative differences between Hilary Duff and Disney+ executives. The revival would have featured Duff playing a grown-up version of Lizzie McGuire, Thomas reprising his role as Lizzie’s younger brother, Matt McGuire, and other original cast members returning as well.
While speaking with Deadline at the Wizards Beyond Waverly Place premiere, Thomas expressed that he remains optimistic about the Lizzie McGuire reboot being revived. He discussed how the fans of the original series have made it clear that they want to see more of Lizzie’s story. Thomas also acknowledged that while he hopes to see the reboot come to fruition again, the decision is ultimately not up to him. Check out his comments below:
I definitely still have hope for that. I think there’s a lot of story still to be told, and I think that fans have made it pretty clear that they still want to see those characters and those stories again. I’m optimistic, but it’s in other people’s hands.
What This Means For The Lizzie McGuire Reboot
It Could Still Happen Despite Past Creative Differences
Even though the Lizzie McGuire reboot has not been officially revived, Thomas is still interested in playing Matt again, and in being part of the original show’s continuation. Just as Wizards of Waverly Place is being revived through Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, the same outcome could potentially be achieved with Lizzie McGuire. If Disney executives give the reboot another chance to be redeveloped, Thomas would be among the original cast members to return.
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One of the reasons the reboot was unable to move forward was because it was deemed too adult for Disney+. Duff did not want the adventures of a 30-year-old Lizzie to be limited by a PG rating, while Disney worried about the new story not being completely family-friendly. While Disney executives later put out a statement about canceling the series due to it not meeting fan expectations, Thomas’ comments make it clear that both he and the fans still want to see a revival come to life years after Lizzie McGuire ended,
The Reason For The Reboot’s Cancelation Has Not Aged Well
It is promising that Thomas still wants to see the revival happen, as Matt would be an important part of any new Lizzie McGuire stories. The idea of executives being concerned about a more mature Lizzie McGuireshow on Disney+ has not aged well, especially now that the R-rated Deadpool movies are available to stream on the platform. Hopefully, the Lizzie McGuire reboot can eventually be revived, with Duff, Thomas, and the original cast returning to tell authentic stories about what has happened to their characters all these years later.
Source: Deadline
As she navigates middle and high school, teenage Lizzie McGuire balances friendships, crushes, the allure of popularity, and developing her own identity.
- Cast
- Hilary Duff , Lalaine , jake thomas , Hallie Todd , Robert Carradine
- Release Date
- January 12, 2001
- Writers
- Terri Minsky , Hilary Duff
- Directors
- Savage Steve Holland , Steve De Jarnatt , Mark Rosman , Terri Minsky
- Showrunner
- Terri Minsky