“Lizzie McGuire” Disney+ Reboot Cast Blames Disney Executives for Cancellation

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney+

Via wdwnt.com

We have been reporting on the Lizzie McGuire Disney+ reboot for nearly 18 months. News of the series was first reported in August 2019. By October 2019, the cast and crew were preparing for the first episodes. Things began to fall apart in January 2020 when show creator Terri Minsky left after just two episodes.

lizzie mcguire disney+

Star Hillary Duff took to Instagram in January 2020 to announce the show’s cancellation. Now other stars are sounding off regarding the circumstances around the reboot’s demise.

In an interview with Vice, actor Robert Carradine questioned why Disney approved the show’s more adult themes.

When we did the read-through of the first two scripts, there were literally three rows of chairs and in each chair was some kind of a Disney executive. I mean, there were 25 of them in there. And they were laughing their asses off. Every single step of that trajectory had to be greenlit by somebody who’s high up in the organization. So, you go to all that trouble and they decide at the last minute, out of the blue, that it needs to be more kid-friendly? I don’t get that.

Robert Carradine to Vice

Carradine seems confused as to why the project even made it to the table read. Hallie Todd, who played Lizzie’s mom, enjoyed the brief reunion. She did not directly comment on Disney leadership.

I’m sad. We had the best time when we got together for those two episodes. It felt like no time had passed, except that all of a sudden these kids were adults. It just seems ridiculous. There’s always more to it than you hear, and I certainly am not privy to those conversations in the back room.

Hallie Todd to Vice

Jake Thomas, who played Lizzie’s brother, Matt, feels that the original series’ fans have been let down.

Fans always tell me how watching the show was a staple of their childhood, and honestly, I was right there with them running to the TV every week to watch the latest episode. When I walked onto the set of the rebuilt McGuire house for the reboot, it felt like such an unreal homecoming, an overwhelming childhood nostalgia. It saddens me greatly that the fans don’t get to share in that feeling.

Jake Thomas to Vice

Disney has not officially announced the reboot’s cancellation. In a statement, Disney wrote that Lizzie McGuire fans have “high expectations.” The reboot won’t move forward “unless and until we are confident we can meet those expectations,” Disney stated.

Lizzie McGuire Creator Quits After 2 Episodes

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney+

According to Variety, the creator of “Lizzie McGuire”, Terri Minsky, has stepped away from the project as showrunner after just two episodes.

In lieu of naming a new showrunner, a Disney spokesperson addressed concerns regarding Minsky’s departure:

“Fans have a sentimental attachment to ‘Lizzie McGuire’ and high expectations for a new series. After filming two episodes, we concluded that we need to move in a different creative direction and are putting a new lens on the show.”

Production of the show began in November 2019 and now the project has been placed on hold as Disney searches for a new showrunner. Minsky was both showrunner and executive producer on “Lizzie McGuire” which saw the return of most of the original cast.

Lizzie McGuire was announced at the D23 Expo in August 2019 by Hillary Duff and was a big title for the Disney+ streaming service. There is no word yet on whether this production hiccup will have any impact on the release of the show.

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Original Cast to Reprise Their Roles on Disney+ Lizzie McGuire Series

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney+

Disney has just announced that Hallie Todd, Robert Carradine, and Jake Thomas will all be reprising their roles as Jo, Sam, and Matt McGuire in Lizzie McGuire, the highly anticipated Disney+ series. They join previously announced star and executive producer Hilary Duff. This week, the cast reunited for the first time in 15 years for a read-through of the first episode! As was revealed at D23 Expo 2019, original Lizzie McGuire series creator Terri Minsky will return as showrunner and executive producer of the Disney+ series. Rachel Winter will executive-produce, and Ranada Shepard will co-executive produce.

“We are incredibly excited to bring back one of the most popular Disney Channel series of all time along with some beloved and familiar faces,” said Ricky Strauss, president, Content & Marketing, Disney+. “With Terri at the helm and Hilary, Hallie, Robert, and Jake back after all these years, it’s our honor to welcome the McGuire family into the Disney+ family.”

“Just like there is no Lizzie McGuire without Hilary Duff, there is no McGuire family without Hallie, Robert, and Jake,” added Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide. “The original series holds a special place in the hearts of so many, and we can’t wait to introduce fans, both old and new, to an older, wiser, yet still perfectly imperfect Lizzie.”

The new Lizzie McGuire story picks up as the titular character is just about to turn 30. She seemingly has it all­—her dream job as an assistant to a fancy New York City decorator, her dream guy, and a picturesque Brooklyn apartment—but things aren’t always as they seem. With a little help from her friends, her loving family, and her 13-year-old alter-ego in animated form, Lizzie navigates the ups and downs of adulthood.

Hilary Duff Returns to Play Lizzie McGuire in New Disney+ Series

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney+

Hilary Duff made a surprise appearance at the D23 Expo to reveal that she is reprising her role of Lizzie McGuire in an all-new Disney+ series. The series, from Terri Minsky, who created the original show, will follow Lizzie as a soon to be 30 year old as she navigates through New York City.

“It is so great to be home,” Duff said, before revealing details about the upcoming series. “The good news is, just like me and everybody who loved Lizzie and grew up with her, Lizzie’s also grown up. She’s older, she’s wiser—and she has a much bigger shoe budget, which is super exciting. She has her dream job, she has kind of the perfect life right now. She’s working as an apprentice to a fancy New York City decorator. She has her dream guy who owns a cool SoHo restaurant. She has her dream apartment in Brooklyn, and she’s getting ready to celebrate her 30th birthday.” If you think everything is perfect, don’t worry. Duff reassured fans, “She’s still dealing with that 13-year-old no-holds-barred animated Lizzie that’s constantly babbling in her adult Lizzie head.”