By Kaylin Tran
World Editor
In late October, Raven Symoné, who played main character Raven Baxter in Disney sitcom “That’s So Raven,” announced on “The View” that a new spin-off of the original series will be in production starting early 2017.
The spin-off will feature Raven as a divorced mother, as well as her best friend Chelsea; Anneliese van der Pol who is also a single mother. The role of Eddie Thomas has been replaced with YouTuber Alonzo Lerone.
There has been little information released about the series so far, but amongst the newer characters are, Raven’s two children: a daughter named Nia, and a younger son named Booker. Nia inherits the ability to see the future from her mother, which will act as an obstacle to overcome during her first year in middle school.
Symoné is leaving her position as co-host on “The View” near the end of the year and will be the executive producer of the new series. She will also be joined by Scott Thomas and Jed Elinoff, producers and writers of the Disney show “Best Friends Whenever.”
Symoné plans to continue her old series follows the same path of “Girl Meets World,” a spin-off of the iconic show “Boy Meets World” that premiered from 1993-2000. Both continuations feature the characters as adults with children of their own.
The replacement of Eddie has left many fans puzzled, especially the actor himself, Orlando Brown. “We are all family […] I don’t think it would have happened without all of us,” stated Brown to TMZ.
At the time, “That’s So Raven” was the highest-rated original series in Disney Channel’s history. The success of the show allowed it to become Disney’s first series that reached 100 episodes, whereas those that reached the 65-episode mark, such as “Lizzie McGuire” and “Even Stevens,” were canceled.
“Raven’s brilliant style of fearless comedy was a driving force for Disney Channel’s success around the world. Her performance in ‘That’s So Raven’ is timeless,” stated Adam Bonnett, worldwide executive vice president of original programming for Disney Channel, to E! News.
The original show has already had a hit spin-off: “Cory in the House”, which aired from 2007-2008. It became Disney’s first original spin-off series and had a total of 34 episodes.
According to Disney, “That’s So Raven” was also successful in the fact that it was the first comedy series title that had an African American woman’s name.
Currently, there is no specific release date, but, production will start in early 2017.
“Just know it’s coming,” said Symoné’s co-host on “The View” Whoopi Goldberg, “and it’s about time.”
