High School Musical 4, Camp Rock 2, in 2010?

[8wid]

This article is a little old, but the information is still relevant.

Madness from Disney should be coming to an end soon anyway.

Source: http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_h...well-as-the-hannah-montana-series-finale.aspx

Tune Thursday: 2010 brings “Camp Rock 2,” ”High School Musical 4” as well as the “Hannah Montana” series finale

Jim Hill brings you the latest news on these Disney Channel productions, including the real reason that Miley Cyrus agreed to a fourth & final season of her hit sitcom

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It’s often been said that there are only seven basic plots in the world. Seven distinctly different story ideas which have then provided the inspiration for every single play, movie and TV show that’s ever been produced. Well, if this is really the case, then someone needs to make the executives in charge of the Disney Channel aware of those other six ideas. Because the suits at that cable channel seem to have grown overly fond of recycling that star-crossed-lovers / “Romeo & Juliet” routine.

Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved
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Don’t believe me? Then let’s talk about that recently announced “Camp Rock” sequel, "Camp Rock 2: Final Jam.” This Disney Channel Original goes into production later this summer and will debut on that cable channel in the Spring of 2010.

Featuring a script by Dan Berendsen with Karin Gist & Regina Hicks, “Camp Rock 2: Final Jam” sends Demi Lovato and Joe, Kevin & Nick Jonas’ characters back to the woods. Where they then discover that many of their Camp Rock bunkmates have bailed on the place. Opting instead to spend their summers at far trendier digs right across the way, Camp Star.
“So where do the Montagues & the Capulets come in?,” you ask. Well, that’s when Nate (Nick Jonas) falls in love with Dana (newcomer Chloe Bridges), the daughter of Camp Star's owner.

Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved
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Meanwhile, on a complete separate development track, we have “High School Musical 4.” And even though “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” was a hugely successful theatrical release (During its domestic run, “HSM3” had the highest opening weekend totals ever for a new movie musical. With this Kenny Ortega film then going on to earn over $250 million at the worldwide box office), this franchise will be returning to its cable television roots in 2010.
If all goes according to plan, “High School Musical: East Meets West” will go into production in Utah during the latter part of 2009 and then air on the Disney Channel sometime next Fall. And as for this Disney Channel Original’s storyline …
Well, according to what Mouse House insiders have told me about the teleplay that Peter Barsocchini (who wrote the first three installments of the “HSM” series) has written, “High School Musical: East Meets West” will also drift into Capulet-and-Montague territory. With “HSM4” touching on the previously-unmentioned heated cross-town school rivalry between the East High Wildcats and the West High Knights.

(L to R) Matt Prokop, Justin Martin and Jemma-McKenzie-Brown
from "High School Musical 3: Senior Year."
Copyright 2008 Disney. All Rights Reserved
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To be fair here, Barsocchini and his writing partners aren’t “borrowing” all of “Romeo & Juliet” ‘s key plot points. Instead of star-crossed lovers this time around, “HSM4” will deal with a love triangle.
Now where this gets interesting is – rather than make use Matt Prokop, Justin Martin and Jemma McKenzie-Brown (whose Jimmie Zara, Donny Dion and Tiara Gold characters were deliberately introduced in “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” so that this Disney franchise would then have some recognizable-but-still-affordable performers to built future “HSM” installments around) – is that “High School Musical: East Meets West” is reportedly going to feature an all-new cast.
Mind you, that’s most likely because Ortega is no longer directing the “High School Musical” movies. Kenny’s moved on (Most recently, Ortega was the director / choreographer for the now-canceled Michael Jackson “This is It!” concert that was planned for London’s O2 Arena). In his place, Disney has hired Jeffrey Hornaday. Who is probably best known for the choreographer of “Flashdance” and “Captain EO.”

Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved
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Okay, I know. I’ve kind of been beating up on the scriptwriters for “Camp Rock 2: Final Jam” and “High School Musical: East Meets West” in today’s article. Accusing them of “borrowing” most of their ideas for these two projects from Shakespeare.
But the upside is … Rich Ross, head of Disney Channel Worldwide, doesn’t much care who first came up with that star-crossed-lovers idea and/or that Montague-Capulet-rivalry thing. In the end, what really matters to Rich is “Is the script solid?” And in the case of “Camp Rock 2: Final Jam,” the advance word is that this soon-to-begin-production Disney Channel Original has a surprisingly entertaining teleplay. And provided that helmer Paul Hoen (who previously directed “Jump In!” for the Disney Channel) can pull all of the pieces together, “Camp Rock 2” should actually be a better TV movie than the first “Camp Rock” was.
As for “High School Musical: East Meets West” … From what I hear, “HSM4” has a good-but-not-great script. And when it comes right down to it, the ultimate success of this Disney Channel Original – as well as the entire “High School Musical” franchise -- depends on who Hornaday casts. Whether Jeff is able to find the next Zack Efron & Vanessa Hudgens.

Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved
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And speaking of maintaining Mouse House franchises … Back in April, the Disney Channel made a very big deal about how it had renewed “Hannah Montana” for a fourth and final season. With the plan being to shoot 11 regular episodes of this hit sitcom as well as an hour-long finale for the series next year.
Now many folks in Hollywood seemed surprised that Miley Cyrus (who had been previously been quite vocal about her desire to ditch “Hannah Montana” so that Cyrus could then concentrate on her film career) would reverse herself like that and then opt to re-up with the Disney Channel.
Well, truth be told, it wasn’t the Mouse that persuaded Miley to continue on with her sitcom. But – rather – WalMart.

(L to R) Miley Cyrus and Max Azria
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To explain: Ms. Cyrus and that big box retailer are now in business in a big way. That – in addition to sponsoring Miley’s next concert tour (which will kick-off in Portland, OR this September and then play 44 other dates before finally ending in Miami) – WalMart is also about to launch a Miley Cyrus clothing line.
And since it will be a lot easier for tween girls to really get behind Miley’s new clothing line (which – FYI – is being designed by Max Azria) if “Hannah Montana” is still on the air in 2010 … Well, that’s why Ms. Cyrus ultimately agreed to do that fourth & final season. Not because there are so many loose story threads that need to be tied up on this hit Disney Channel series. But – rather – because there are threads that now need to be sold at WalMart.
“Hannah Montana” fans needn’t worry, though. In spite of the fact that Miley’s really only doing Season 4 for the money, Rick Ross (who thinks of this sitcom as a key turning point in the Disney Channel’s history) is going to insist that “Hannah Montana” comes to a satisfying conclusion.

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My understanding is that – for several years now – Ross has had a definitive idea about how he wants to bring “Hannah” to a close. Which may factor into the Disney Channel’s recent decision to shift this show’s setting from down on the beach to up into the hills of Malibu for Season 4.
Hmmn … I wonder which of those seven basic plots Rich will want to use for the "Hannah Montana" finale?

Your thoughts?

 

[TheComicbookKid]

Didn't want to start a new thread because it ain't that imporant. More interesting dealing with the post Disney image of its stars and how hard it is to get out of


This was emailed to me by a Bandslam insider who's also a prominent filmmaker (and asked to be anonymous) in response to my box office report that the Walden Media/Summit Entertainment pic had a disastrous $2.3M weekend despite great reviews, and that the marketing/packaging was so young that moviegoers thought it was High School Musical when it was closer to School Of Rock:

"Isn't there a story here? Death by marketing? A movie that gets 80% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes -- 90% from top critics -- won't see the light of day because Summit consistently made some of the worst choices, and their core audience summarily dismissed the movie without seeing it based on their sale.
Start off with the fact that they chose BANDSLAM for a title instead of WILL. They thought WILL was too indie. But that’s what made this movie special. It was an indie voice wrapped up in a high concept. So, instead of selling it quirky and cool (a la Juno) they sold it on the Disney channel's Vanessa Hudgens and Aly Milchaka. Instead of selling the concept, band of outcasts like The Commitments, they Disneyfied this movie with glitter paint. So what is an ironic, smart script with a killer soundtrack was sold like High School Musical meets Phil Of The Future. Instead of embracing it for its quirky-ness, for its unique voice (Will, the lead, calls high school “Guantanamo Bay with a lunch period”) they flattened it out so it looked like everything else. There have been literally dozens and dozens of calls today and e-mails from heads of marketing at different studios saying this may be singly the worst job they've ever seen on a movie whose unique voice deserved to be heard through positioning, title, marketing tie-ins, and knowing your audience. But Rob Freidman and Summit infantalized their audience. They presumed that since HSM was a hit, and the same star was in their movie singing, they should just sell it the same way.
Nancy Kirkpatrick took instructions from Rob. He had this idea in his head to sell it with the Disney slant, and no one could sway him. People tried, trust me. They knew the movie tested through the roof but the materials didn’t. And still he was bullish. He’s just so ****ing arrogant. The real problem was that this was [Walden Media] Cary Granat’s baby and when he was let go, and Alex Schwartz was let go – the project got taken over by Summit. Eric Feig was in the middle of TWILIGHT, so it became Rob’s baby. He saw Vanessa singing and he could only could think of one way to sell it. The only problem is, she’s not playing Gabriella from HSM. She’s playing a dark, monotone goth character. And she’s really pretty good. But you wouldn’t know it by the ads. They should have let the audience re-discover her as this Aly Sheedy, Breakfast Club, freak, but instead, they found shots of her smiling, and sold it on that. And even though the movie was so NOT Disney. You’ve got lines like “A Nuremburg rally produced by MTV”, and a whole section that takes place in an abandoned CBGB’s talking about The Killers, The Sex Pistols, Black Flag, The Police, and U2. I mean, come on, this is NOT High School Musical. You’ve got a kid obsessed with David Bowie, writing him letters throughout the movie.
Look at the comments you got in your own section on this, the movie deserved to be seen. Todd Graff wrote and directed a beautiful lyrical film with a killer soundtrack that the Hollywood Reporter critic compared to a cross between Cameron Crowe and John Hughes. Read the Washington Post review. It’s crazy making.
For what it’s worth, Rob is very contrite now. He’s apologizing to everyone. Tail between his legs, that kind of thing. But as the reality hits, it’s too little, way too late. Heartbreaking.
Shame on them. The movie's good. It deserved a chance."
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http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/behind-the-scenes-of-bandslam-summit/#comments



As soon as Vanessa Hudgens face showed up on screen, any ability to sell this as an indie flick was done.

 

[Fresh Prince]

No HSM4 or CR2 please.

 

[John Locke]

HSM4 and CR2 are not in theaters right?

 

[Fresh Prince]

I hope they never hit thearters.