Peter Barsocchini — who penned the first three "HSM" screenplays and is currently at work on a new animated project for Dreamworks with In the Heights Tony winner Lin-Manuel Miranda — is writing the forthcoming film, which will introduce a series of new characters. Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush return to executive producer, however, Disney has not confirmed if Kenny Ortega, who directed and gave the "HSM" movies their high-powered choreography, will return for the fourth installment.
"High School Musical 4" will follow in the footsteps of the first two films in the franchise, which premiered on the Disney Channel. "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" was the first to make its debuts in movie theatres.
After premiering in 2006, "High School Musical" proved to be a financial boon for Disney and launched the careers of its young stars, Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale and Corbin Bleu.