The franchise was such a huge success for Disney, even though its first two films didn't have theatrical releases. when the original movie debuted, and it quickly captured the attention of millions. It wasn't long until sequels were greenlit, a worldwide tour (High School Musical: The Concert) featuring the High School Musical cast members plus Drew Seeley was ordered, books and video games were released, etc., resulting in the birth of a franchise.
Although High School Musical 4 was reported to be in production at Disney in 2016, a fourth movie isn't in the works as of January 2025. A fictional fourth film was depicted in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series season 4, though.
Almost 20 years after the premiere of High School Musical, the movie series is still beloved by many. It has lived on through other media, high schools around the world putting on stage productions of its story, and more. Although no more High School Musical sequels are in development as of the writing of this article,(despite the fact that only the third film was released in theaters).
More than one year later, High School Musical 2 followed suit with its exclusive release on Disney's TV channel. Both movies were made to be Disney Channel Original Movies and were never intended to be theatrical releases, which is why they weren't playing in theaters at the time of their debuts.
| High School Musical Movie | Release Date | Director | Writer | Rotten Tomatoes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High School Musical | January 20, 2006 | Kenny Ortega | Peter Barsocchini | 67% |
| High School Musical 2 | August 17, 2007 | Kenny Ortega | Peter Barsocchini | 83% |
| High School Musical 3: Senior Year | October 24, 2008 | Kenny Ortega | Peter Barsocchini | 64% |
Disney didn't know if Kenny Ortega's High School Musical would be a success prior to its premiere in 2006. Thankfully, it was, which is why it grew into a franchise. It was also a good idea to release High School Musical 2 on Disney Channel. The sequel attracted 17.2 million viewers (per The New York Times) when it premiered on August 17, 2007, making a record it holds to this day. However, when it came time to make High School Musical 3, Disney had other ideas for its premiere.
Disney decided to bank on the impressive achievements of the first two High School Musical movies by releasing the third one in theaters in October 2008. Executives considered how the first and second films performed on Disney Channel and knew that High School Musical 3: Senior Year would be a financial success if it premiered in theaters. Plus, As a result, it could only realistically turn a profit with a theatrical run.
Related
The Harsh Reality Of Zac Efron's High School Musical Ending Is Why A Fourth Movie Can't Happen
The harsh reality of Zac Efron’s High School Musical 3 ending as Troy Bolton didn’t make it easy for Disney to produce High School Musical 4.
Whereas High School Musical's budget was around $4 million and High School Musical 2's was $6 million,(according to Entertainment Weekly). Since the production value increased by 500 percent from the second film to the third, a theatrical run was the only option. Thankfully, High School Musical 3: Senior Year was a box office success, grossing almost $253 million. It also held the record for the biggest opening day for a musical movie ($17 million) until Les Misérables beat it in 2012.
More than a decade after High School Musical 3: Senior Year's theatrical debut, the franchise returned to TV via High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. However, The mockumentary musical drama TV series followed a group of teenagers attending the real East High School who put on a stage production of Kenny Ortega's 2006 Disney movie. It ran for four seasons, with some original actors making cameos in HSMTMTS season 4, including Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, and Lucas Grabeel, before ending in 2023.
High School Musical
The High School Musical franchise is a successful Disney Channel Original Movie series that became a cultural phenomenon upon its debut in 2006. The story centers on the lives of high school students at East High School, particularly focusing on the relationship between Troy Bolton, the school's basketball star, and Gabriella Montez, a shy, academically gifted new student. The franchise explores themes of self-discovery, friendship, and following one’s dreams, with a heavy emphasis on musical performances. The success of the original movie led to sequels, a spinoff, and a resurgence in popularity with a recent TV series.
Sources: The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly
