Writer Shares Why Canceled Disney Show Didn't Work

TV shows get canceled all the time, but it’s never easy when it’s a show you’re really looking forward to watching.

©Disney

Some shows get at least one full season before getting canceled, like Disney’s National Treasure: Edge of History. Some shows never even get a chance to get started. For example, Disney’s adaptation of The Spiderwick Chronicles was canceled before it ever began. The same happened with The Nautilus, which would have been the origin story for Captain Nemo from 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. Even the Lizzie McGuire reboot never got a chance to get going, but now we may know why.

The new Lizzie McGuire TV show was going to pick up with an adult Lizzie living in New York City as an interior designer. After she finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her, Lizzie moves back to California, where she reunites with animated Lizzie. In 2020, Lizzie McGuire star Hilary Duff shared that the reboot had been essentially canceled because there were disagreements on the show’s maturity level. Disney wanted a more kid-friendly show, while Duff felt that Lizzie’s adult story should reflect more adult topics.

This has now been confirmed by one of the show’s writers. In a video posted on social media, Lizzie McGuire writer Jonathan Hurwitz told fans that two episodes had essentially already been shot, but that episode three was where Disney had some issues. At the end of the second episode, Lizzie receives a message from Ethan Craft, her childhood crush.

Hilary Duff and Adam Lamberg ©Disney

“Episode 3 wasn’t filmed, but there was a script for it,” Hurwitz said. “Lizzie wakes up in Ethan’s bed, in his water polo t-shirt. Animated Lizzie pops up and she has this little checklist, like a to-do list, and Ethan is on the list and she checks it off. “I think she says something like, ‘I checked that box –dramatic pause– twice.’ So if I had to guess, I saw another comment about certain storylines [about] why Disney wasn’t comfortable with it, my guess was… that moment was probably one of them.”

Here are some more details Hurwitz shared about the canceled series:

@jonathanhurwitz

Replying to @kujorg Consider the ☕️ spilled ? #lizziemcguire #lizziemcguirereboot #hilaryduff #arianagrande #bangs #greenscreen

♬ original sound – jonathanhurwitz

According to Deadline, Duff remains optimistic about the reboot. She said, “Disney+ was very new and I think they were figuring out their… and we were figuring out our… and I am optimistic.”

©Disney

Disney+ has embraced more mature content, including adding the Netflix Marvel shows to its lineup, as well as recently adding its first original series, Echo, with a TV-MA rating. So who knows? Maybe Disney will change its mind and move forward with the Lizzie McGuire reboot. This is what dreams are made of, after all.

©Disney

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Disney CANCELED 8 TV Shows in 2023

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What do you think of this news? Do you think the Lizzie McGuire show still has a chance to happen? Let us know in the comments!