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"Lizzie McGuire": Is Disney+ Holding Hillary Duff Revival "Creative Hostage", Blocking It From Hulu? [REPORT]

A little over a month after Lizzie McGuire creator Terri Minsky and Disney+ had a parting of the ways over the direction of the revival series and production on the series was put on hiatus, we're starting to learn that things don't seem to be going too smoothly over at the streaming side of  "The Mouse's" world. Variety writer Joe Otterson is offering a deeper look behind the scenes on what's going wrong with a revival fans figured would be a no-brainer – here are some of the highlights from the article:

● While "The Mouse" was willing to move High Fidelity and Love, Victor from their intended Disney+ home to Hulu, is the "Lizzie McGuire" brand a bridge too far for Disney+ to lose? It was no secret that Minsky and Duff were looking to do a more adult-oriented series, while Disney was looking for modern family-friendly tone that fit the streaming service's "no higher than PG-13" approach.

With that in mind, you can read what you like into the Instagram story she posted regarding the move of Love, Victor to Hulu – especially the words "family-friendly" circled (still up on her IG page here).

● Speaking with Variety, Minsky praised Duff's older, more mature portrayal of Lizzie McGuire – so much so that a move to Hulu was welcomed:

"I am so proud of the two episodes we did. Hilary has a grasp of Lizzie McGuire at 30 that needs to be seen. It's a wonderful thing to watch. I would love the show to exist, but ideally I would love it if it could be given that treatment of going to Hulu and doing the show that we were doing. That's the part where I am completely in the dark. It's important to me that this show was important to people. I felt like I wanted to do a show that was worthy of that kind of devotion."

● Sources in the Variety report state that the streaming service, Minsky, and Duff were all on the same page regarding the creative approach to the new series and what it would include.

● While Minsky would not comment on how she learned about her firing and production being suspended, it's being reported that she, her writing staff, the production team, and Duff only learned of the show's status after the initial Variety report went to post (with Variety having reached out to "The Mouse" before going live). Duff was on her honeymoon in Mozambique with new husband Matthew Koma when she learned the news.

● Original series cast members Adam Lamberg, Hallie Todd, Robert Carradine, and Jake Thomas — along with writers and production staff – are awaiting a decision on the show's future. A search for a replacement showrunner is reportedly underway – though it remains to be seen if one can be found who can walk the high wire between Duff's vision and "The Mouse's" take.

● A Disney spokesperson denied that the series was in danger of being cancelled even before it hits the streamer, saying in a statement:

"We paused production on 'Lizzie McGuire' a few weeks ago to allow time for some creative re-development. Our goal is to resume production and to tell an authentic story that connects to the millions who are emotionally invested in the character, and a new generation of viewers too."

Having created the original series, Minsky was set to serve as showrunner and executive producer, with Duff and Rachel Winter also executive producing. Ranada Shepard was set to co-executive produce the series, produced by Salty Pictures, Inc. in association with Disney Channel.

Running on the Disney Channel from 2001 to 2004, Lizzie McGuire helped Duff cross over into mainstream pop culture in the early 2000s and has developed a devoted following. Stan Rogow Productions and Disney Channel Original Productions were responsible for production, with Buena Vista Television distributing.

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