Strut Like You Mean It!
Cheetah Girls 4 Is Officially On The Way
The upcoming film follows a new generation of Cheetahs, but it’s bringing lots of familiar faces along for the ride.
From High School Musical: The Musical: The Series to the upcoming Camp Rock sequel, Disney Channel’s early-aughts influence never really went away. And soon, another beloved title is entering the nostalgia chat. On July 8, Disney announced that a fourth Cheetah Girls movie is officially in the works. The greenlit sequel is titled The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen, and will begin production in South Africa next month.
“The Cheetah Girls has always been about friendship, music, and empowering young people to use their voice,” Ayo Davis, president at Disney Kids & Family, said in a statement. “That spirit connected deeply with a generation of fans, and it still resonates today. Bringing this dynamic new group of young stars to the franchise allows us to continue that legacy for a new era of kids and families.”
Raven-Symoné celebrated the announcement in a video of her strutting to (what else?) “Strut.”
“It’s happening, and it’s CHEETAHLISHIOUS!” she captioned the post. Raven will serve as executive producer alongside Debra Martin Chase (who produced the original films), and will also reprise her role as Galleria alongside Adrienne Bailon (Chanel). Lynn Whitfield and Lori Alter will also return as the girls’ on-screen moms, Dorothea and Juanita, and Sabrina Bryan is set to make a special appearance as Dorinda. (The release did not mention the status of Kiely Williams, who played Aqua in the original movies.)
New faces include Leah Sava Jeffries as Galleria’s daughter Faith; Carmen Sanchez as Chanel’s sister Dior; Kaileen Chang as Ruby; Sophie Lennon as Brooklyn; and Kamogelo Ramashala as Kendi. Sophia Bush will also play a supporting role as Jennifré.
According to the film’s synopsis, Galleria and Chanel will travel to Africa with Faith and her friends in Next Gen, where they embark on a musical journey while volunteering 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.”
The movie comes two years after Raven appeared to tease interest in revisiting the franchise, telling Entertainment Tonight: “Cheetahs, what can you say? Another moment in culture that gave girl power, that gave fashion, that gave songs — very, very blessed to be a part of that, and can’t wait to see what the future holds with that.”
Well, the future is here. And it’s spotted!
