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Jamie Lynn Spears returns as the titular character for Zoey 102. A sequel to Nickelodeon’s smash hit comedy-drama series Zoey 101, the upcoming film got its first trailer recently. Set against the backdrop of Quinn Pensky’s and Logan Reese’s marriage, Zoey 102 will see the reunion of Zoey Brooks (Spears) and other Pacific Coast Academy alumni more than a decade later.
Zoey 102 is scheduled to premiere exclusively on Paramount+ on July 27. As soon as Discussing Film shared the trailer on Twitter, netizens crowded the reply section with mostly discouraging comments. One user remarked that the actors in the film have “aged like milk.”
Zoey 101, the parent show, was broadcast from 2005 to 2008. Created by Dan Schneider, it emerged as a fan-favorite since its inception. Apart from Spears, it starred Erin Sanders as Pensky, Matthew Underwood as Reese, Paul Butcher as her brother Dustin, Sean Flynn as her high school love interest Chase Matthews, and Christopher Massey as Michael Barret.
Before making a big splash with the musical biopic Elvis (2022), Austin Butler was also seen as Zoey's ex-boyfriend, James Garrett, on the show. Sadly, he isn’t returning in the sequel.
"Didn’t need to be a thing": Fans make their dislike for Zoey 102 trailer clear
The official synopsis of Zoey 102 reads:
“Zoey Brooks is still trying to figure out life and love, this time in her 20s. Zoey and Chase did not end up in Hawaii that summer and haven’t heard from each other since. When close friends Quinn and Logan announce they’re getting married, Zoey and Chase find themselves in the wedding party.”
The trailer, lasting 2:01 minutes, showcases almost the same cast with the addition of a character named Hugo Hemsworth (Dean Geyer), who has been hired to be “Zoey’s boy” for the wedding and who has a “strong grip and jawline,” as Chase puts it. Though the promotional clip is entertaining, with a strong rom-com touch, netizens weren’t impressed.
So, when Discussing Film dropped the same on Twitter, some wondered about the need for such a film, while others simply rejected the release.
The cast of Zoey 102 features several returning actors, including Abby Wilde as Stacey Dillsen and Jack Salvatore as Quinn Pensky’s former boyfriend, Mark Del Figgalo. In 2020, however, Austin Butler confirmed that he wasn’t asked to reprise his Zoey 101 role.
“Zoey 101 was a big turning point for me because it was the first time I was ever a series regular on a show, so I got to be part of an entire season,” Butler said at the Awards Circuit Variety Podcast.
Meanwhile, the new additions are:
- Thomas Lennon as Kelly Kevyn, Zoey’s boss
- Owen Thiele as Archer March, Zoey’s friend
- Audrey Whitby as Logan’s younger sister, Lyric
- Zach Zagoria as Jordan B., a reality dating TV show contestant and Zoey’s coworker
Zoey 102 will hit Paramount+ exclusively on July 27.
