As if anybody doubted this would happen. Disney Channel has officially given a series order for the Boy Meets World spin-off, Girl Meets World. The show is expected to debut in 2014 (though an exact date is unkown at this point). Production will begin this summer as the cast and crew start back up after filming the pilot back in February.

Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel will step back into the roles that made them famous as Cory and Topanga. But this time, the show will center around their middle school-age daughter, Riley, being played by Rowan Blanchard. Sabrina Carpenter has been cast as her best friend Maya Fox (aka the new Sean).

Aside from Savage and Fishel, another familiar face will show up: William Daniels will return to reprise his role as Mr. Feeny in at least the first episode. It is unclear if the actors who played Sean and Eric (Rider Strong and Will Friedle) are planning on making any cameos, though the two have been spotted on the set.

Disney released an official synopsis for Girl Meets World: “Set in New York City, the new comedy series will tell the wonderfully funny, heartfelt stories that Boy Meets World is renowned for — only this time from a tween girl’s perspective — as the curious and bright seventh grader Riley and her quick-witted friend Maya embark on an unforgettable middle school experience. But their plans for a carefree year will be adjusted slightly under the watchful eyes of Riley’s dad who’s also a faculty member — and their new History teacher — and Riley’s mom who owns a trendy afterschool hangout that specializes in pudding.”

In addition, two new photos have been released. The first shows Riley and BFF Maya hugging with Cory and Topanga happily looking on:

And the second is Blanchard and Carpenter (in character) posing for the camera on the middle school set:

Adam Bonnett, an executive at Disney, said in a statement, “Boy Meets World and its story of adolescent self discovery resonated with an entire generation of tweens. In the same way audiences fell in love with Cory Matthews and Topanga Lawrence, we look forward to introducing our viewers to their daughter Riley Matthews in Girl Meets World and building a memorable connection with a whole new generation of fans.”

The showrunner of both the original series and the spin-off, Michael Jacobs, also spoke about the news: “I am grateful to everyone at Disney Channel for the opportunity to reach my favorite audience, which has always been kids. Girl Meets World is a new show for a new generation that will be rooted in the same kind of honest, comedic storytelling about coming of age and the importance of family and friendship that made Boy Meets World so popular.”

Will you be watching Girl Meets World? And are these photos making you even more excited for the spin-off? Let us know in the comments below.

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(Images courtesy of Disney Channel)

Jeff Dodge

Staff Writer, BuddyTV

Jeff Dodge, a graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena.