'How I Met Your Father': Hilary Duff to star in 'How I Met Your Mother' sequel

The show will be set in the future and recall what dating was like in the year 2021

Hilary Duff will star in 'How I Met Your Father', which is set to air on Hulu. Getty Images via AFP

Hilary Duff is getting ready to "suit up". Well, sort of, as it's been announced that the American actress will star in a sequel to How I Met Your Mother that's set to air on Hulu.

Titled How I Met Your Father, the show will be set in the future and follow a similar storyline to its predecessor, whereby a woman named Sophie (Duff) tells her son the story of how she met his father through tales of when she was younger.

She'll recall what dating was like in the year 2021, when she and her friends navigated falling in love in the age of dating apps and seemingly limitless options.

The series is from This is Us co-showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, who serve as writers and executive producers. Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, the creators of How I Met Your Mother, are also on board as executive producers – although it's unclear if the two shows will be tied together.

"I've been incredibly lucky in my career to play some wonderful characters and I'm looking forward to taking on the role of Sophie," Duff told Variety. "As a huge fan of How I Met Your Mother, I'm honoured and even a little nervous that Carter and Craig would trust me with the sequel of their baby. Isaac and Elizabeth are brilliant, and I can't wait to work alongside them and all of their genius."

How I Met Your Mother broadcast for nine seasons in the US from 2005 to 2014 and starred Josh Radnor, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Segel and Alyson Hannigan.

Radnor played the character of Ted Mosby, who told his two children the story of how he met their mother by remembering adventures he and his friends had in New York City. However, the series finale was met with disappointment and backlash from fans who were unhappy with the outcome of the last episode.

Josh Radnor and Cristin Milioti in a scene from 'How I Met Your Mother'. Courtesy Fox Television

This isn't the first How I Met Your Mother sequel to be attempted, as a pilot for the show How I Met Your Dad was filmed in 2013 starring Greta Gerwig. However, it was not picked up as a series.