Why Lizzie McGuire Was Cancelled (Twice)

One of the best Disney Channel television shows during the early 2000s is "Lizzie McGuire," a middle school sitcom about the growing pains of crushes, wanting to be popular, and finding your teenage identity. It was nominated for Outstanding Children's Program in the 2003 and 2004 Emmy Awards. "Lizzie McGuire" was also one of the most popular series on the channel, with up to 2.3 million viewers per episode, and it became the first Disney Channel series to have a feature film released in theaters. Created by Terri Minsky, the short-lived but adored series has a truly unique and creative vision. 

"Lizzie McGuire" features all sorts of experimental filmmaking and editing techniques, inspired by "Run Lola Run," to create silly moments (via Vice). "There were Dutch angle close-ups of Mrs. McGuire's lips sternly demanding, 'Tell me the truth,' or shots that turned into still photos with the sound of popping flashbulbs, like when Lizzie showed off one of her vibrant-colored and bedazzled outfits. There was also the famous cartoon version of Lizzie that expressed her inner thoughts.

Despite its popularity, "Lizzie McGuire" lasted only two seasons, running from January 12, 2001, to February 14, 2004, thereby meeting the dreaded 65-episode rule requirement that put an abrupt end to most Disney shows. Although the Los Angeles Times reported that Disney was interested in creating a high school version of the sitcom for ABC, its cancellation had a lot to do with its rising star, Hilary Duff.

In May of 2003, Entertainment Weekly reported the contractual disputes that ended up canceling "Lizzie McGuire." Disney's 15-year-old star Hilary Duff was offered $35,000 per episode for playing the bright-eyed teen on the new ABC series as she entered high school, but Duff and her family wanted $100,000 — and rightfully so. Hilary Duff's performance as the titular Lizzie McGuire is what makes the show so unforgettable. She's the perfect blend of innocent and sweet, and awkward and quirky, in a sharp comedic performance that nails the messiness of adolescence. 

Hilary Duff also sought a more lucrative deal that would give her $4 million for the potential sequel to "The Lizzie McGuire Movie," plus a $500,000 bonus whether or not the film grossed more than $50 million. But this was too much for Disney, and they had to part ways.

Hilary Duff and her family made such strong demands, not only because she deserved it as the lifeblood of the show, but also because she was receiving higher-paying offers from bigger Hollywood films. Her career was flourishing outside the Disney Channel in family and romantic comedies such as "Cheaper by the Dozen," "Raise Your Voice," and "A Cinderella Story." She couldn't pass these opportunities up to work for less than what she deserved. As much as it pains "Lizzie McGuire" fans that her story could have continued, it's important that Hilary Duff knew her worth and advocated for it at such a young age.

Even without Hilary Duff, Disney still wanted to expand the "Lizzie McGuire" franchise. After all, Fortune estimated they made $100 million from merchandise, including books, bedroom sets, and McDonald's toys. There were still a lot of kids to entertain and money to be made. The Los Angeles Times reported plans for an animated version of the series, but it wouldn't be the same without Hilary Duff's squeaky voice. Another pilot was ordered about Miranda's younger sister Stevie, played by Selena Gomez, who would also have her own animated alter ego, but it never got off the ground.

15 years later, millennials rejoiced when "Lizzie McGuire" would have a reboot on Disney+, following Lizzie as a 30-year-old interior designer in New York City who travels back to her California hometown. Unfortunately, showrunner Terri Minsky was fired two episodes into production before it was canceled altogether. There was a tug-of-war between Minsky and Duff, who wanted to represent Lizzie as she would really be as an adult woman, and Disney, who wanted it to be more family-friendly — because little kids totally love watching shows about single thirtysomethings, right? Hilary Duff elaborated on the cancellation in December 2020 on Instagram: 

A writer on the show, Jonathan Hurwitz, spilled some details on TikTok about the show's content. Episode three, which was written but not yet filmed, would have opened with Lizzie waking up next to her legendary crush Ethan Craft. Animated Lizzie would say, "'Well, checked that box ... twice." Not only did we miss out on more seasons of "Lizzie McGuire," but they had to cancel it all over again for the reboot — despite the main demographic of who would watch it being exactly Lizzie's age! That adult-centric show would've been what dreams are made of.