A ‘How I Met Your Mother’ Sequel Series Starring Hilary Duff Is Coming to Hulu

That Lizzie McGuire reboot sadly never found its way to Hulu, but we’re getting the next best thing: Hilary Duff will star in a How I Met Your Mother spin-off sequel series at the streaming network, called How I Met Your Father. Suit up!

And the news just gets better. Deadline reports the series has been given a ten-episode order, which means that barring some strange and unlikely event, we will definitely get to see it. Binge-watch challenge accepted.

The original How I Met Your Mother ran from 2005 to 2014 and chronicled, in a series of flashbacks, how lovelorn architect Ted (Josh Radnor) met and fell in love with a series of women until he finally found his one true love, the mother of the children he was telling these stories to. 

When the series ended, a pilot for a female version, How I Met Your Dad, was planned and even filmed for CBS. It starred Greta Gerwig, and the characters weren’t related to the original HIMYM gang; it just had a similar premise. After that didn’t go forward, recounts Deadline, there were more takes and more updates, and now, finally, a script from This Is Us showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger will make it into production. 

The series is being described as a “spin-off” starring Duff as “Sophie,” protagonist and storyteller, though it’s unclear if or how the new series will be related to the original. It’s not like she’s the secret third Mosby kid or anything.

Said original series creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas in a statement, “Kids, I’m going to tell you an incredible story: It’s the story of how two writers got lucky enough to make their dream TV show for nine seasons and now get to pass the torch to an inspired new creative team with their own incredible story to tell, the story of How I Met Your Father. We are honored by their passion and vision, and look forward to helping them tell a legendary new story. Thanks to all the HIMYM fans out there who waited for it.”

Added Duff, “I’ve been incredibly lucky in my career to play some wonderful characters and I’m looking forward to taking on the role of Sophie. As a huge fan of How I Met Your Mother, I’m honored and even a little nervous that Carter and Craig would trust me with the sequel of their baby. Isaac and Elizabeth are brilliant, and I can’t wait to work alongside them and all of their genius. Just fangirling over here getting to join the Hulu Originals and 20th families. I realize these are big shoes to fill and I’m excited to slip my 6 ½’s in there.”