A spinoff series of the popular 2000’s comedy How I Met Your Mother is coming to Hulu. The streamer has ordered 10 straight-to-series episodes of How I Met Your Father with Hilary Duff set to star as the lead role.
The sequel series will be set in the future with Duff’s character Sophie looking back on her single life in 2021, navigating relationships, dating apps, and life in general with her close friend group in New York City. However, there’s no word on how or if this new sequel will tie into the original series. HIMYM creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas are returning to head this new sequel series alongside Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger from This is Us and Love Victor.
“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,” said Duff. “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!”
“’How I Met Your Mother’ continues to be one of the most innovative and beloved comedies on television,” said Craig Erwich, president of Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment. “Isaac and Elizabeth have an inspired take on this new version that honors what Carter and Craig created with the original and moves the franchise forward. Isaac and Elizabeth have proven to be rich storytellers and great partners to us at Hulu Originals and across The Walt Disney Company family. Coupled with the passion and infectious energy Hilary brings to every role she takes on, we can’t wait to suit up and bring audiences ‘How I Met Your Father.’”
This is the second attempt at a HIMYM sequel – back in 2013 CBS ordered a failed pilot series of How I Met Your Dad with Greta Gerwig and Meg Ryan. It was never picked up for a series.