Disney is starting something new with one of its most
popular franchises.
The cable channel is officially casting for "High
School Musical 4," the long-rumored next installment in the successful
movie series, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The fourth movie in the franchise, which has spawned such
stars as Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, will center on a new group of students
at East High, as well as their crosstown rivals, the West High Knights.
Jeffrey Hornaday (Disney Channel's "Teen Beach
Movie," "Teen Beach 2") is attached to direct and choreograph
the movie. Dan Berendsen (Freeform's "Baby Daddy," Disney's
"Hannah Montana: The Movie") and Peter Barsocchini, who wrote all
three High School Musical movies, are the screenwriters of "High School
Musical 4."
Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush return as executive
producers. Jason La Padura, Natalie Hart and Kendra Patterson of
LaPadura/Hart/Patterson will serve as casting directors for the project.
A nationwide casting search for the new film's stars kicked
off Tuesday, with more information forthcoming about open casting calls
available here.
The announcement comes a decade after the first film debuted
on Disney Channel and quickly became one of the network's biggest hits, selling
millions of soundtracks and making household names out of its young cast. A
second film debuted on Disney Channel one year later, followed by "High
School Musical 3," which first premiered in theaters in 2008. A fourth
feature has been rumored since 2010.
"High School Musical is part of Disney Channel's
DNA," Disney Channels Worldwide president and CCO Gary Marsh said Tuesday
in a statement. "It embodies all that we stand for. As a way of continuing
to embrace that heritage, we're excited to announce 'the start of something
new' — as we launch a search for a new class of East High Wildcats to star in a
fourth installment of the High School Musical franchise."
