Hannah Montana is back for its 20th anniversary special. Disney+ announced on Feb. 17 that Miley Cyrus will revisit the iconic blonde wig, fan-beloved songs, and more from the Emmy-nominated series when it premieres on Mar. 24, the show’s original premiere date.
The special will feature an interview with Cyrus and Call Her Daddy podcast host Alexandra Cooper, conducted in front of a live audience, according to a press release from Disney+. The two will discuss the creation of the Montana character and her enduring impact on a vast fan base to this day. The special will also feature never-before-seen footage from the series, memorable sets, and surprises that have yet to be revealed by Disney.
The special will be produced by HopeTown Entertainment, owned by Cyrus’s mom, Tish Cyrus-Purcell, and Alex Cooper’s company, Unwell Productions, the press release from Disney+ stated.
Cyrus said she is grateful for the lifelong connection she and so many fans share with Hannah Montana. “The fact that it still means so much to people all these years later is something I’m very proud of. This ‘Hannahversary’ is my way of celebrating and thanking the fans who’ve stood by me for 20 years,” Cyrus shared in the press release.
The Hannah Montana series ran for four seasons from 2006 to 2011. There was also a Hannah Montana concert film, which premiered in 2008, and a movie that came out in 2009. The show follows Miley Stewart, an ordinary girl facing the normal struggles of a regular teenager, while balancing a secret life of fame as pop star Hannah Montana. Fans who grew up on the show connected with Stewart’s life in middle school and high school and made memories with Hannah Montana’s music through songs including “The Best of Both Worlds,” “I’ll Always Remember You,” and “He Could Be the One.”
Cyrus teased the special a few times ahead of the announcement. In an Instagram post on Feb. 13, she shared old photos from the show, which alerted fans to potential news. She also said on Sirius XM last year that she wanted to do something special to celebrate 20 years of Hannah Montana, Carly Thomas from The Hollywood Reporter announced.
“I want to design something really, really special for it because it really was the beginning of all of this that now sits here today,” Cyrus said.
The announcement received an outpouring of excitement from fans. The Instagram announcement video, which featured a car with a California license plate on the front that read “HM 20,” garnered over 3.8 million likes. Top comments included a mixture of shock and nostalgia over the opportunity to reminisce on the character.
There is less than a month until people can see the special, but fans can fill the void by streaming Hannah Montana episodes and movies on Disney+, and listening to Cyrus’s newest album “Something Beautiful” on music streaming platforms.