TV

Everything you need to know about the Lizzie McGuire revival on Disney+

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Published on November 20, 2019 03:08PM EST

Hey now, this literally is what dreams are made of: Lizzie McGuire is coming back into our lives!

Earlier this year at D23 Expo, series star Hilary Duff herself revealed that the beloved Disney Channel series that launched her career back in the ’00s would be revived on the new streaming service Disney+. While most of the details were still being worked out at the time, the revival is now in production on the first season, meaning we have a better idea of what fans can expect from the new show 15 years after the original ended.

From casting announcements to on-set photos and more, here’s everything you should know.

What’s it about?

The live-action teen sitcom has officially grown up. The new series picks up just as Lizzie is 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 (who is shockingly not Gordo!), and a picturesque Brooklyn apartment — but things aren’t always as they seem. With a little help from her friends and her loving family, Lizzie navigates the ups and downs of adulthood as a millennial living in NYC.

“The good news is, just like me and everybody who loved Lizzie and has grown up with her, Lizzie’s also grown up,” Duff says. “She’s older, she’s wiser, 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… And she’s getting ready to celebrate her 30th birthday.”

So far, all the first-look photos prove that as she’s gotten older, Lizzie’s fashion sense has evolved too. Gone are the butterfly clips, but the bangs (and Lisa Frank rainbow heart shirt?) are back! However, despite the revival starting off with her perfect life in Brooklyn, things will quickly change. “She’s not going to stay in Brooklyn too long, actually,” Duff told Vulture. “That’s where she’s been, but she’ll be coming back to Los Angeles. She’s forced out of New York. She’s like, ‘I can’t be here anymore.’”

Who’s returning?

First things first: Duff as Lizzie, obviously. (Could you imagine if she wasn’t?!) The revival news was revealed by Duff, so there was never a world in which this show would exist without her, thankfully. Plus, original series creator Terri Minsky is returning as showrunner, along with stars Hallie Todd, Robert Carradine, and Jake Thomas, who played Lizzie’s parents, Jo and Sam, and younger brother, Matt, on the original series.

And yes, Lizzie’s BFF-turned-love Gordo (Adam Lamberg) is returning as well (marking Lamberg’s highly-anticipated return to acting after an extended hiatus). Duff and Lamberg shared the exciting news in an adorable video posted on social media. However, despite Lizzie and Gordo finally getting together in the feature film The Lizzie McGuire Movie, released back in 2003, it turns out that they didn’t stay together through their teen and young adult years. (That sound you hear is hearts breaking everywhere across the world.)

“Gordo was an essential piece of the puzzle to what made the original Lizzie McGuire so authentic and beloved,” Duff says. “I couldn’t imagine the series without him. I can’t wait for fans to see what he’s up to 15 years later and how he fits into Lizzie’s adult world.”

As for her onscreen BFF Miranda (Lalaine) and frenemy Kate (Ashlie Brillault), there’s no word yet whether any of them will reprise their roles. However, Duff has hinted to E! Online that Lizzie’s childhood crush Ethan Craft (Clayton Snyder) could very well still be a fixture in her life. “He is hot. He’s very hot,” Duff says. “I’m pretty sure there’s going to be, there’s going to be a thing.”

Will Lizzie’s cartoon alter ego be back?

Um, hello, it absolutely would not be Lizzie McGuire without her snarky other half! Thankfully, cartoon Lizzie is returning as well. “She is still dealing with that 13-year-old no-holds-barred animated Lizzie that’s constantly babbling in her adult Lizzie head,” Duff says. “So she has to deal with that. But I think that’s what’s going to make it really special.”

Where can you watch it?

Add this to the growing list of reasons you need a Disney+ subscription (or at least a generous friend or family member who will share their login info with you). This revival will only be available on the streaming service.

When does it premiere?

A premiere date has not yet been set, but since production has only just begun, fans shouldn’t expect to see new episodes until well into 2020. At least we’re getting one step closer each and every day…

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