The Lizzie McGuire reboot series is on its way and this really is what dreams are made of, people.
Ever since the series was first announced in August, we’ve been busy reliving our favourite childhood memories of the show, dreaming of a potential Lizzie and Gordo romance (please someone make this happen), and of course, wondering what our childhood crush Ethan Craft looks like now.
The original Disney Channel series first graced our screens back in 2001 and was followed by The Lizzie McGuire Movie, which taught us a harsh lesson about love and trusting Italian singers named Paolo.
Now, 15 years later, anticipation is well and truly building for the launch of the new series, particularly as more details about the cast and storyline are being released.
And we’ve never been more excited to see animated Lizzie return to our screens and give us the life advice we all need.
From the returning characters to Lizzie’s relationship status, here’s everything we know about the reboot so far.
The cast members
Younger actress and mum-of-two, Hilary Duff, will, of course, reprise her role as Lizzie McGuire.
And just last week, Disney announced on Instagram that Adam Lamberg is returning to play Lizzie’s best friend, Gordo.
“Gordo was an essential piece of the puzzle to what made the original Lizzie McGuire so authentic and beloved,” Duff said in a statement.
“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.”
Aside from Gordo, we know Lizzie’s mum, dad and younger brother Matt will also be returning to the show.
Hallie Todd and Robert Carradine will reprise their roles of Jo and Sam McGuire and Jake Thomas will return to play Matt McGuire.
Duff announced the news back in October when she shared a photo of her on-screen family on Instagram.
“We are standing in what will soon be the McGuire living room. What’s up fam. We doin this [sic], ” she captioned the post.
Unfortunately, we’re yet to hear whether Lalaine Vergara-Paras will be returning as Lizzie’s long-time best friend, Miranda.
As for Ethan Craft, Duff hinted that Lizzie may still have some feelings for her former middle school crush, during an interview with E! News.
“He is hot. He’s very hot,” Duff said. “I’m pretty sure there’s going to be, there’s going to be a thing.”
But we’re still waiting for confirmation Clayton Snyder, who played Ethan, will join the cast.
The storyline
The show will see Lizzie all grown up and navigating the challenges life throws at her as she enters her 30s.
Duff said in an interview with Vulture, that it seemed like the right time to revisit the show – being in her 30s herself.
“It’s a complicated stage. That’s what people loved about Lizzie so much — that phase of becoming a teenager. It’s such a complicated but fun part of time to navigate. She was everyone’s best friend. She was faced with every challenge that was relatable.
“Now, I think stepping into the role as a 30-year-old trying to navigate life is equally interesting. Or more specifically, waking up on your 30th birthday and thinking, ‘This isn’t how I planned this to look, what do I do now?’ That’s an interesting story to me, and that’s a good journey I want to go on with everyone again who was there for her preteen years,” she told the publication.
Lizzie will apparently also be in in a seemingly “perfect” relationship with her boyfriend who works as a chef at a cool Soho restaurant.
But during the series, we’ll see her life isn’t actually as great as it seems.
“[Lizzie] gets some pretty big news at the end of the episode,” Duff told GMA.
So perhaps there’s hope for a Lizzie and Gordo relationship after all. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The setting
The beginning of the series will be set in Brooklyn, New York where Lizzie is living her best life working as an apprentice to an NYC interior designer.
But we may not see Lizzie here for very long.
In an interview with Vulture, Duff said that Lizzie will end up finding herself at a crossroad.
“She’s not going to stay in Brooklyn too long, actually. 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,’” said Duff.
When it will be released and how to watch it
The official release date is yet to be announced, but filming is already well underway. That said, the show reportedly won’t be available until 2020.
Fans will be able to watch the series on the new Disney Plus streaming service, which launched in Australia on November 19.
What are you hoping to see in the Lizzie McGuire reboot? Let us know in the comments below.
Sign up for our weekly “TV and Movies” newsletter. Every week, our Entertainment Editor Laura Brodnik gives you a backstage pass to the best movies, TV shows and celebrity interviews.