Disney+ Is Here! Everything to Know About the High School Musical Series
It’s time to get’cha head in the game, because Disney+ has officially arrived.
One of the most anticipated original shows on the new streaming service is High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. The reboot — which has already been renewed for a sophomore season — follows a group of high school juniors putting on their school’s theatrical production of (you guessed it) High School Musical, the Disney Channel movie that made Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens famous. As creator and showrunner Tim Federle previously told PEOPLE, “Doing theater is all about finding your tribe.”
The original High School Musical movie — starring Efron, Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Lucas Grabeel, and Monique Coleman — premiered on the Disney Channel on Jan. 20, 2006. A sequel followed on the network on Aug. 17, 2007, and then a third (centered around the group’s big graduation) hit theaters on Oct. 24, 2008.
“There aren’t a lot of writers who get to launch a new streaming platform like Disney+,” Federle said. “It’s a privilege to create a love letter to fans of the original High School Musical movies while also making an irreverent, feel-good musical for a new generation.”
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How much does Disney+ cost?
Beginning today, fans can enjoy Disney’s streaming service for $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year. With the service comes an overload of feature films, TV shows and animated series.
What is High School Musical: The Musical: The Series about?
Ricky (Joshua Bassett) is a charismatic skater who auditions for the musical in an attempt to win back his ex-girlfriend, Nini (Olivia Rodrigo), despite her new boyfriend, E.J. (Matt Cornett). When it comes time for audition results, Nini and Ricky win the roles of Gabriella and Troy, respectively, much to the ire of E.J., who seemed poised to be the next Troy Bolton.
The former couple is forced to put their differences aside to put on a successful show, as the show’s trailer teases more dancing, singing and drama to come, with (of course) the sound of a HSM classic, “Stick to the Status Quo.”
The 10-episode first season also follows transfer student Gina Porter (Sofia Wylie), E.J.’s cousin Ashlyn Caswell (Julia Lester) and drama teacher Miss Jenn (Kate Reinders).
Who are the stars?
First, the kids. Bassett, 18, may be a familiar face for Disney fans: He recurred as Aidan on season 3 the Disney Channel show Stuck in the Middle. The same goes for Rodrigo, 16, who played main character Paige Olvera on the network’s Bizaardvark from 2016-2019, and Wylie, 15, who starred on Andi Mack from 2017-2019. Cornett, 21, is perhaps best known as Ryan on the CBS ensemble sitcom Life in Pieces. This is the first major role for Lester, who has appeared in Mom.
Playing the theater teacher, Reinders, 39, has fittingly had a long career on Broadway, most recently as Cynthia Well in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.
What else is available on Disney+?
Along with the new HSM series, Disney+ has also debuted the highly-anticipated original series The Mandalorian, the first live-action Star Wars TV show.
The streaming service’s library includes 100 Disney Channel Original Movies, every Star Wars movie, seven of the Marvel films, the Pirates of the Caribbean films and even cult classics like Newsies.
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Several National Geographic Channel shows are also available, as are all 30 seasons of The Simpsons. Plus, just about every animated classic in the Disney vault can be streamed.
Disney+ will also eventually be home to several brand-new series, including WandaVision featuring Avengers stars Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany; The Falcon and The Winter Soldier starring Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan; and upcoming reboots of Home Alone and Night at the Museum.
A reboot of Lizzie McGuire is also in the works, with Hilary Duff‘s return as the titular character. And (hopefully in time for next Halloween), a Hocus Pocus sequel has been confirmed.
