Despite its 56% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the original High School Musical stole the heart of late millennials and early members of Generation Z when it premiered in 2006. The hugely successful film franchise told the stories of Troy Bolton, Gabriella Montez, and their classmates at East High School as they try their hand at navigating their love lives, social pressures, and conflicting obligations with musical flare in preparation for the school’s musical. Now Disney+ is trying to bring songs like “Get’cha Head In The Game,” “Start of Something New” and “Stick to the Status Quo” to a second generation of viewers with a 10-episode television rendition of High School Musical: The Musical.
The show, styled like a documentary, will feature a full new cast of characters at East High School, the location where the original films were set and filmed. In the trailer, which dropped at Disney’s D23 Expo, the teens are competing for some familiar roles in the school’s next musical: Troy Bolton, Gabriella Montez, and Sharpay Evans. The stakes are high, as all of these characters are huge fans of the 2006 film. In the trailer, one even looks to the camera to explain, “I’ve seen the original movie 37 times, and the first 15 minutes of both sequels.”
Young actors Joshua Bassett, Olivia Rodrigo, and Matt Cornet have all been cast as the leads of High School Musical: The Musical. The show is executive produced by Tim Federle of Ferdinand and Olivia Goldstick of Pretty Little Liars. Federle and Goldstick will also serve as the showrunners. Bill Borden and Barry Rosebush, who executive produced High School Musical in the early 2000s, will also executive produce.
High School Musical: The Musical was just one of many announcements at Disney’s D23 Expo, which also revealed information on other Disney+ originals like the Star Wars drama The Mandalorian, Ms. Marvel, and live-action Lady and the Tramp film.
High School Musical: The Musical will premiere on Nov. 12.