Okay, so Disney actually did it. After years of fan campaigns, reunion speculation, and endless rewatches of the original trilogy on Disney+, The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen has been officially greenlit by both Disney Channel and Disney+. Production is already underway in South Africa, and the cast list that came with the announcement is genuinely a lot to process.
Here is everything you need to know.
The OGs Are Coming Back
Raven-Symoné is back as Galleria. Adrienne Bailon is back as Chanel. And both of them are not just acting in the film, they are producing it too. Raven-Symoné is an executive producer alongside Debra Martin Chase, who produced the original films, and Bailon is joining as a co-producer. The fact that these two have a real seat at the creative table is genuinely reassuring for anyone who cares about this franchise being done right.
The returning cast keeps going from there. Lynn Whitfield and Lori Alter are both back as Dorothea and Juanita. Sabrina Bryan is making a special appearance as Dorinda. And Sophia Bush is joining the movie in a supporting role as a character named Jennifré.
Who Are the New Cheetah Girls?
The whole point of Next Gen is right there in the title. The story follows Galleria and Chanel traveling to Africa to volunteer at a wildlife sanctuary, bringing along Galleria’s teenage daughter, Faith, and her three best friends. The four girls end up testing their friendship. They find their voices and figure out what Cheetah Power looks like for their generation.
Faith is played by Leah Sava’ Jeffries from Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Chanel’s sister Dior is played by Carmen Sanchez from Electric Bloom. Kaileen Chang plays Ruby, Sophie Lennon plays Brooklyn, and Kamogelo Ramashala plays Kendi, a South African actor who was discovered through Disney’s open global casting call for the film.
That last detail is worth paying attention to. Casting a local South African talent through an open call for a movie actually set in South Africa is the kind of decision that makes a production feel like it has its priorities straight.
The Timing Could Not Be Better for The Cheetah Girls
Disney is having a massive year for nostalgia. High School Musical and Hannah Montana are both hitting major anniversaries in 2026. Descendants: Wicked Wonderland and Camp Rock 3 are both on the way this summer. The Worlds Collide Tour is coming back this fall. Dropping a Cheetah Girls revival into the middle of all of that is not an accident.
The film is directed by Bille Woodruff. It is written by Kara Holden, Sarah Watson, and Deborah Swisher. The choreography is handled by Kyle Hanagami.
No release date has been confirmed yet. But all three original Cheetah Girls movies are on Disney+ right now in the Throwbacks collection if you need something to do while you wait.
Honestly? We are not okay. In the best possible way.
