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“The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen,” a new installment in the beloved franchise, has been greenlit for Disney Channel and Disney+. The music-driven film goes into production in South Africa this month.
The movie hails from executive producers Debra Martin Chase and Raven-Symoné, who returns to her role as Galleria alongside Adrienne Bailon returning as Chanel. Lynn Whitfield and Lori Alter are set to reprise their roles as Dorothea and Juanita, while Sabrina Bryan will make a special appearance as Dorinda, and Sophia Bush is set to appear in a supporting role as Jennifré.
A new cast of young actresses stars in the movie, including Leah Sava Jeffries (Annabeth in “Percy Jackson and the Olympians”) as Galleria’s daughter Faith, Carmen Sanchez (“Electric Bloom”) as Chanel’s sister Dior, Kaileen Chang as Ruby, and Sophie Lennon as Brooklyn. Newcomer Kamogelo Ramashala, a local South African actor discovered during Disney’s global open casting call, is set as Kendi.
The story picks up when Cheetah Girls Galleria (Symoné) and Chanel (Bailon), alongside Galleria’s daughter Faith (Jeffries) and her three friends, travel to Africa to volunteer at a wildlife sanctuary. Along the way, these four teen girls test their friendship, find their voice, and discover the true Cheetah spirit as they save the preserve and ultimately take the stage as the new Cheetah Girls.
Debra Martin Chase (“The Princess Diaries”), who executive produced the first three “The Cheetah Girls” films, returns for this latest installment alongside Raven-Symoné as executive producer. Directed and co-produced by Bille Woodruff (“Bridgerton”) and written by Kara Holden, Sarah Watson and Deborah Swisher, the movie is produced by Disney Kids & Family and features choreography by Kyle Hanagami. Adrienne Bailon is a co-producer. The films are based on “The Cheetah Girls” book series by Deborah Gregory.
“The Cheetah Girls” franchise is one of the most popular Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) franchises. When it premiered in 2003, “The Cheetah Girls” was the No. 1 highest-rated movie on broadcast or cable, and “The Cheetah Girls 2” was the highest-rated movie on broadcast or cable during 2006 with Kids 6-11, Kids 9-14, Girls 6-11, and Girls 9-14. “The Cheetah Girls: One World” was No. 1 across all broadcast and cable for the week it premiered with Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14. All three movies were among the Top 15 of over 70 DCOM premieres at the time of “The Cheetah Girls: One World” premiere in 2008 and in the Top 15 with all viewers 2+, Girls 6-11, Girls 6-14.
“The Cheetah Girls” greenlight news comes amid a major moment for Disney Channel fans, as 2026 celebrates the milestone anniversaries of “High School Musical” and “Hannah Montana,” leading into the premieres of new franchise installments “Descendants: Wicked Wonderland” and “Camp Rock 3” this summer. It was recently announced that the “Worlds Collide Tour” will return this fall with talent from the “Descendants,” “ZOMBIES” and “Camp Rock” franchises.
“The Cheetah Girls,” “The Cheetah Girls 2” and “The Cheetah Girls: One World” are now streaming on Disney+.
