Jamie Lynn Spears returns to the role of Zoey Brooks in a new image from Paramount+’s revival movie Zoey 102. The original teen series Zoey 101 aired from 2005 to 2008 across 4 seasons, following Spears’ character as she joined the prestigious Pacific Coast Academy, exploring her time at the boarding school. Much like fellow Paramount+ continuation iCarly, the upcoming film will pick up on Zoey and her friends’ lives following their final appearances in the season 4 finale.
With most of Zoey 101‘s original cast set to return in Zoey 102 later in the summer, Entertainment Weekly has released a new glimpse at the upcoming film with first look images focused on the returning titular character.
In the images above, Spears’ Zoey can be seen mingling with several new characters, played by Owen Thiele, Thomas Lennon, and Dean Geyer. Zoey and the rest of her former PCA classmates will be reunited at a wedding, though the Zoey 102 images don’t feature any of the other returning stars.
How Zoey 102 Became A Controversial TV Show Revival
For fans who grew up watching Zoey 101, Zoey 102 is offering the opportunity to reunite with the characters from their teen years. Alongside Spears, Erin Sanders, Sean Flynn, Matthew Underwood, Christopher Massey, Abbey Wild, and Jack Salvatore are confirmed to be reprising their roles of Quinn Pensky, Chase Matthews, Logan Reese, Michael Barret, Stacey Dillsen, and Mark Dell Figgalo, respectively. Paul Butcher will not return to portray Zoey’s younger brother, while Elvis and Dune star Austin Butler cast doubt on his Zoey 102 return; he joined the series in season 4.
However, Zoey 102 also faces issues that make its return controversial. Spears faced backlash for the part she played in her sister Britney Spears’ conservatorship; the pop star has been open about the hardships it brought. Furthermore, the original Zoey 101 was one of many shows developed by producer Dan Schneider, who has a history of bullying and sexual misconduct cases involving minors throughout his working relationship with Nickelodeon. This has led to debate from former stars and viewers on whether reviving shows developed by him is the right decision, even without his involvement.
Though Zoey 102‘s reunion may spark nostalgia, the film undoubtedly has a lot of baggage attached to its production. Beyond the behind-the-scenes controversies, it may also be that the film perhaps won’t be able to deliver a satisfying return. On the other hand, it could restore some goodwill towards Spears and the entire property. While Zoey 102 may face an uphill battle, audiences will be able to properly weigh in when it arrives on Paramount+ this summer.
Source: EW
