High School Musical 4 Is Officially Happening Disney announces plans

Disney is going back to high school -- back to the highly lucrative "High School Musical 4" franchise, that is.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.

 High School Musical was Disney Channel's most watched film that year with 7.7 million viewers in its premiere broadcast in the US, until August's premiere of The Cheetah Girls 2, which achieved 8.1 million viewers. In the United Kingdom, it received 789,000 viewers for its premiere (and 1.2 million viewers overall during the first week), making it the second most watched program for the Disney Channel (UK) of 2006. On December 29, 2006, it became the first DCOM to be broadcast on the BBC. Globally, High School Musical has been seen by over 225 million viewers

"High School Musical is part of Disney Channel's DNA," says Disney Channel President Gary Marsh. "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."

A nationwide casting call for a brand new, never-seen-before cast of the new high school drama film began on March 1. Information on the casting calls can be retrieved from the Disney Channel website.

Even though the fans have been clamoring for cameos of the original High School Musical cast, Disney has been mum about the whole thing. Disney mentioning that Campbell is Sharpay and Ryan Evans’ cousin does give fans hope that at least some of the cast will return.