Austin Butler Uncertain About 'Hannah Montana' Return Following Miley Cyrus' Plans To Honor 20th Anniversary

Austin Butler has had a busy last few years, from starring in "Elvis" to the new crime comedy "Caught Stealing," premiering in theaters August 29, 2025.

So, with his packed schedule, would he ever return to the Disney Channel to reprise his role alongside Miley Cyrus in the teen series "Hannah Montana?" In a new interview, Austin Butler shared his candid thoughts on the matter.

According to Metro Entertainment, Butler, 34, wasn't prepared to hear the news that "Hannah Montana," which stars Cyrus living a double life as a teenage pop star, was filmed 20 years ago.

The movie star, who is playing the role of "Hank," a former baseball player turned bartender in "Caught Stealing," was even more surprised to hear there could be a potential "Hannah Montana" reunion.

"Is that a thing?" he asked. "Wow, wow. 20 years? That's crazy."

Butler had two guest roles during his time on "Hannah Montana." The first was an uncredited role as Toby in a season 1 episode titled "Oops! I Meddled Again." Butler's second appearance was in a 2007 episode, "My Best Friend's Boyfriend," as Derek Hanson, the scared cousin of Cyrus' crush, Lucas.

In a previous interview with Ryan Seacrest, Cyrus marveled at the fact that "Hannah Montana" had been part of pop culture history for two decades. She later teased that she wanted to "design something really, really special for [the 20th anniversary]" because the show was what catapulted her into superstardom.

“Without Hannah, there really wouldn’t be this...me,” she explained. “It’s so crazy to think that I started as a character that I thought would be impossible to shed, and now, that’s something that when I walk into a space, it’s looked at as this sense of nostalgia or something that you have from your childhood. But now, I’ve sort of been integrated into everyone’s life as the character has.”

So, when asked about returning to the series, should there be a reboot, Butler couldn't confirm nor deny whether he'd be a part. "I hadn't thought about it til just now," he said.

And while he's not certain just yet, Butler, who also appeared in Disney's "Wizards of Waverly Place," recalled having a great experience filming the show in the aughts. "We had a lot of fun. So, I don't know!"

A potential "Hannah Montana" revival sounds promising, especially considering Cyrus was recently given permission from Disney to perform Hannah songs during her live shows.

She revealed on the "Every Single Album" podcast and said that once she left Disney Channel, she was barred from singing songs like "The Best of Both Worlds" and "Old Blue Jeans."

However, after being inducted as a Disney Legend, all of that changed for Cyrus, who, as Hannah, released five studio albums with the network.

It's unclear whether the 32-year-old will release a new album of recorded music when the time comes, or whether there will be a television event. Regardless, "Hannah Montana" fans are ready for whatever she has hidden up her sleeve.

On social media, the reaction to a possible "Hannah Montana" revival was much of the same across platforms. On X, several users flooded the platform with posts expressing their excitement about the possibility of singing Hannah songs live.

"The excitement I have for this 'Hannah Montana' 20 year anniversary surprise has me kicking my feet," a user wrote. "I'll always know those silly little songs by heart."

As for Butler, the "Bikeriders" actor recently spilled some behind-the-scenes tea about what went into filming his role as Hank in "Caught Stealing."

According to a previous report from The Blast, Butler explained that because the film's director, Darren Aronofsky, wanted him to resemble a baseball player as much as possible, he had Butler analyze the butts of certain MLB players for inspiration. “I actually have a whole section of just baseball players’ asses that he would send me,” Butler said. “He was like, ‘Look how thick they are!’"

To accomplish his goal, Butler worked with a Hollywood trainer who helped him bulk up his backside. The only downside? Butler admitted he now has a pricey college of "Celine pants that I just can't even wear anymore."