The Original Cast of "High School Musical" Has Been Invited to Reunite In "HSM:TM:TS" Season 4

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What team? Wildcats! Disney+'s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series was officially renewed for a fourth season before season 3 premiered on July 27, 2022. If that doesn't indicate how powerful HSM:TM:TS stans are, we don't know what will.

We've seen our fave wildcats like Ricky, Gina, EJ, Kourtney, Ashlyn, and Carlos do it all — from their first production of High School Musical and their competitive theater escapades with Beauty and the Beast at East High to their showstopping stint and Frozen documentary at Camp Shallow Lake in sunny California. In the upcoming season, our comfort characters are headed on a new journey as extras in High School Musical 4: The Reunion Movie shoots at East High.

We also hit up High School Musical: The Musical: The Series creator, Tim Federle, for the scoop on the upcoming season. Ahead, find everything we know so far about season 4, from its release date and plot to new cast members and its soundtrack.

*Major spoilers for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series below!*

When does High School Musical: The Musical: The Series season 4 come out?

It's official, wildcats! Disney+ has greenlit High School Musical: The Musical: The Series for a fourth season. That means we'll get to see our faves back together again, whether they're putting on another big show or heading to college. On May 20, 2022, the streamer dropped the news with a curtain call-inspired post on Instagram.

We don't have a release date just yet, but you already know we'll be on the lookout for any official statements from Disney+.

What is High School Musical: The Musical: The Series season 4 about?

Like we said earlier, we've seen the East High crew do it all. From bringing the Disney Channel Original Movie to the stage, entering the cutthroat world of competitive theater, to having a memorable summer at Camp Shallow Lake. Our wildcats have been through a lot together. Showrunner Tim Federle dished that our fave characters may let their talents shine outside of the East High drama club.

"I think that this documentary they're filming [in season 3] for Frozen on Disney+ — which is fake and meta — is going to impact their lives in a big way," Tim tells Seventeen. "Ultimately, it's High School Musical. I think you'll always see them do a musical, but we're always trying to find a surprising new way to do that."

Well, it is the start of something new for our wildcats, because Disney Branded TV and PR not only revealed that High School Musical 3: Senior Year will be the next musical the crew puts on — they will also be extras in High School Musical 4: The Reunion movie. The official announcement was originally made by Tim and the cast at Disney's D23 Expo in Burbank, California.

Is High School Musical 4: The Reunion really happening?

The complicated answer is yes... and no. While the movie is happening within the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series cinematic universe, TVLine reports that it is not happening in real life — much like the meta Disney+ Frozen documentary in season 3. However, with HSM stars Lucas Grabeel, KayCee Stroh, and Corbin Bleu making guest appearances in the first three seasons of HSM:TM:TS, Ashley Tisdale revisiting her iconic role of Sharpay Evans on TikTok, and Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens' Instagram posts in front of East High, we can hold out hope that an HSM reunion may be taking place thanks to the meta-movie.

In a September 2022 interview with People, showrunner Tim Federle revealed that the OG wildcats have been invited to appear in HSM:TM:TS season 4. "Now it's a matter of juggling and holding my breath and praying and lighting candles and seeing who wants to come play with us," he told the outlet. "So I have high hopes, but I can tell you we've engaged a lot of people and it's gonna be a really exciting season."

Who is in the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series season 4 cast?

It looks like we'll be seeing some of the new characters introduced at Camp Shallow Lake in the upcoming season. Following the season 3 finale, Tim told People that almost everyone — including Saylor Bell and Adrian Lyles —"is going to make their way back into the show." He also confirmed that Matt Cornett will be reprising his role as EJ although he's graduated from East High. "If you love somebody in season 3, they'll probably be back, but we're always sort of juggling the number of people whose stories we're telling," Tim told People. We can also hope to see other series regulars Sofia Wylie, Joshua Bassett, Dara Reneé, Julia Lester, Frankie Rodriguez, and Joe Serafini, among others.

In a July 2022 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Tim confirmed that Olivia Rodrigo, who played Nini Salazar-Roberts on the series in its first three seasons, will not be reprising her role for season 4. "I think she's ready to explore the world outside the halls of East High," Tim told ET. "And Olivia herself was having such a monumental explosion in the music industry that it felt like the right thing to, frankly, work with Olivia to say, 'How do we get you out there into the world with us taking a little bit more of a backseat?' Which we were all proud to do to support her."

What songs are on the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series season 4 soundtrack?

In the past, we've heard songs from the High School Musical and Camp Rock movie franchises, Beauty and the Beast, and Frozen. Cast members like Dara Reneé, Olivia Rodrigo, and Joshua Bassett have also written tracks for the show like "All I Want," "The Rose Song," and more. While High School Musical 3 was announced as the drama club's next musical, we still don't know which exact songs will make the cut for season 4.

Tim Federle gave Seventeen intel on how the HSM:TM:TS team picks music for the show. "There's three types of songs on our show," Tim explains, breaking up the categories: musical-within-the-musical, Disney Channel OGs, and new originals.

"So for [season 3's] Frozen, a song within the musical, I'll turn to my colleagues and mentors at Disney Theatrical Group, like Tom Schumacher who runs the Broadway division. I'll say, 'Can I pretty please have Frozen?' He'll say yes, and then we get to cast the show and see these incredible young performers play roles that the audience might not expect or might hope that they play."

For the original Disney Channel throwbacks, like Joshua Bassett's rendition of the *iconic* High School Musical 2 track "Bet On It" and Joe Serafini's performance of Miley Cyrus' "The Climb" in season 2, Tim says the HSM:TM:TS team decides on which ones to include based on which characters will potentially be performing them and how it'll advance the plot. As for the new series originals, Tim approaches cast members, like Dara Reneé, with info on their character arcs for the season. They then hit the studio with other songwriters to collaborate on making tracks to match the show's storyline.

Is there a trailer for HSM:TM:TS season 4?

Not yet! Since season 3 just dropped, we'll have to hang tight for any season 4 teasers or trailers. You already know we'll report back here with all the updates!

Has High School Musical: The Musical: The Series season 4 started filming?

According to the entertainment database STV+, production for season 4 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series was slated to start in August 2022. Disney+ has yet to confirm this information.

Catch up on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series now!

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