Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special (2026)

Movie · 2026 · Documentary, Music · 59m · PG · English

Curator score: 5.4/10 (34.4K ratings)

From me to younger you.

Overview

Filmed in front of a live studio audience and hosted by Alex Cooper of 'Call Her Daddy' fame, Miley Cyrus reflects on the creation and impact of the series with never-before-seen archival footage, all the while interacting and reminiscing on some of the show's most memorable sets 'brought back to life' — including the Stewart family living room and the legendary Hannah Montana closet.

Ratings

Director

Sam Wrench

Production

HopeTown Entertainment, Unwell Productions

Cast

Miley Cyrus, Alex Cooper, Tish Cyrus-Purcell, Noah Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Gary Marsh, Jamal Sims, Chappell Roan, Selena Gomez, Emily Osment, Mitchel Musso, Jason Earles, Moisés Arias, Dolly Parton, Lucas Till, Taylor Swift, Barack Obama, Jack Champion, Marc Malkin, Cody Linley

Where to watch

Disney Plus, Hulu

Curator Review

Verdict

A glossy, fan-service-heavy reunion special that works best as a nostalgia hit and a Miley Cyrus self-mythology exercise. It’s less a deep documentary than a celebratory time capsule, but the archival footage, recreated sets, and candid reflections give it enough charm for fans of the original series and pop-culture retrospectives.

Best for

  • Hannah Montana fans
  • Miley Cyrus fans
  • viewers who enjoy nostalgia-driven reunion specials
  • pop-culture documentary audiences
  • Disney Channel millennials

Skip if

  • you want a rigorous behind-the-scenes documentary
  • you are not invested in the original series
  • you dislike celebrity-hosted nostalgia specials
  • you want a narrative film rather than a TV special

Overview

This special is built to trigger memory more than analysis. It leans into the emotional architecture of childhood TV fandom: the closet, the living room, the archival clips, the sense that a whole era has been reconstructed just long enough to be felt again. For viewers who grew up with the show, that’s the point, and it lands with surprising force.

Worth noting

Miley Cyrus comes across as both amused and reflective, treating the project like a playful reckoning with a persona that shaped her life and public image. The live-audience format and celebrity-host framing keep it light, but the strongest moments are the ones that let the past breathe without over-explaining it.

Bottom line

As a documentary, it’s fairly surface-level and clearly designed for fans first. Still, the combination of nostalgia, self-awareness, and the sheer absurdity of revisiting iconic sets gives it a distinct charm. It’s more of a cultural reunion than a definitive history, but for the right audience, that’s enough.

Top Letterboxd reviews

rhys murray (4★) · 5431 likes

she sat down with the president of disney channel and said i wanna make history

aaron (5★) · 3226 likes

i think it’s time to talk about tour dates

zak · 2840 likes

she had the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever by leaving her house and recreating the famous meme, and she did it. iconic.

JoshuaCaine · 2440 likes

This made me realize just how much I miss being a kid

sixxthirty (3.5★) · 1938 likes

chappell roan being in this is so ironic considering she hates when people look at her

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Topics

nostalgia, reunion special, pop culture, celebrity identity, childhood memory, Disney Channel, millennial, behind-the-scenes, fan service, music documentary

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