Will 'High School Musical 4' Happen? Cast Talks Another Movie

Disney Channel made history when the first High School Musical movie premiered in January 2006. The fan-favorite musical flick spawned two sequels, a spinoff TV series — High School Musical: The Musical: The Series — and a forever fandom!

Starring Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Zac Efron, Corbin Bleu, Lucas Gabriel and Monique Coleman, among others, the movie is not only responsible for some pretty iconic tunes (“Bop to the Top” or “Fabulous” anyone?), but a love story between Troy and Gabriella that fans will never forget. After the third, and ultimately final, installment hit theaters in 2008, there were rumors of a fourth movie. Although it was never made, fans still have hope that the stars will reunite one more time.

Unfortunately, it seems like director Kenny Ortega doesn’t have a High School Musical 4 in the works any time soon. “[It] isn’t in my thinking,” he told Variety in January 2021 when celebrating the HSM 15-year anniversary.

“I would love nothing more than a reunion where everyone, including Zac Efron, could have dinner together and say ‘Wow wasn’t that something?’ We don’t even need cameras there,” Kenny said about bringing the entire cast together all these years later.

However, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series announced that their fourth season will feature a High School Musical 4: The Reunion in which the HSMTMTS stars will be background extras — talk about meta!

In fact, Ashley even spoke to Entertainment Tonight in August 2021 about the throwback films and said, “no,” she would never want to play Sharpay Evans again.

“I just feel like I wouldn’t be able to really do that again and give it justice,” the Suite Life of Zack and Cody alum explained. “You know what I’m saying? I think at that moment in time, I was very unaware of myself and my surroundings, and I feel like that’s a big part of Sharpay. She is just not really aware, and so as I grew up and became more aware, I think that it’s just something that it wouldn’t be the same.”

Ashley added, “It’s so good, and it’s like, for me, I would hate to ruin something that is perfect for that moment, and yeah, I don’t think I could go back to it.”

This isn’t the only time Ashley, or other HSM cast members for that matter, have spoken about a reunion or bringing back heir roles. Since the massive film franchise came to end, the cast has often been asked about the possibility of a fourth movie. Not to mention, both Zac and Vanessa even went back to East High in 2022.

Scroll through our gallery to see what the High School Musical stars have said over the years.

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Ashley Tisdale

When she was first asked about the possibility of returning to her iconic role as Sharpay Evans, the actress was totally into the possibility. “It would be interesting to do a 25-year [movie] reunion. That would be kind of crazy and also hilarious,” Ashley told MTV in April 2015.

As she got older the actress started turning out the idea of starring in another HSM movie.

Ashley Tisdale

“Looking back, it was such a perfect thing for its time and was so pure that I just don’t know how you go from there,” she told New You in June 2016 when asked about a fourth movie. “High School Musical didn’t make us, we made High School Musical because of our friendship, how close we were, and the magic there at the time.”

A few years later, in November 2018, when E! News asked if she would ever return for another HSM, she said, “I honestly don’t think I would.”

“I don’t know if I could fill her shoes again,” Ashley explained. “I’ve matured so much, I just don’t know if I could give her justice — Sharpay — and be that character again. And I would hate to not have it be great.”

Ashley Tisdale

As the 15th anniversary approached, Ashley fielded reunion questions once again.

“I don’t see us getting together again,” she told E! News in December 2020. “It’s really awesome, obviously, and it’s so sweet that everybody likes to count each year for all three of [the films]. For us, there’s always an anniversary.”

Vanessa Hudgens

After High School Musical: The Musical: The Series premiered on Disney+ in November 2019, Vanessa said no to another HSM film. “They’re already making a [new] High School Musical and I think their spin on it is so smart,” she told J-14 exclusively at the time. “I love what they’re doing.”

The actress continued, “That was a moment in time that was really special. I’ll always be grateful for it, but let’s let it be that moment in time.”

Vanessa Hudgens

“It was such a beautiful moment in time that so many people do hold so close and near and dear to their hearts, that, I don’t know,” she told Entertainment Tonight in November 2021. “It’s scary to mess with something like that, because it is so beloved. Someone’s got to write a script and send it to all of us, and if we like it, then who knows?”

Britt Stewart

When J-14 exclusively caught up with the Dancing With the Stars pro in November 2020, she looked back on her days as a dancer in all three HSM films. When talking about a possible reboot, Britt said she’d be “100 percent” down to return as a dancer.

“I wouldn’t even question,” she gushed. “I would immediately say yes.”