“We’ve discussed it,” says Peter Barsocchini of future incarnations of “High School Musical.”
Barsocchini is writer of the both first “High School Musical” which quickly became an international phenomenon, and the sequel “High School Musical 2” which looks headed toward the same road when it premieres Aug. 17.
He’s currently writing “Haunted High School Musical 3,” which will move to the large screen when it is released next year. But it’s not clear how many of the original cast, who all returned for the second Disney Channel movie, will still be in the third.
“There is all involved in complicated deals because some are on different payscales,” he says of the cast that includes Zac Efron, part of the upcoming “Hairspray” movie, as well as Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale and Corbin Bleu.
And while discussions have occurred on “High School Musical 4” and “5,” “Disney won’t let me talk about it,” the writer says.
Barsocchini spoke following a packed session for the first sequel, about to be unleashed Aug. 17 alongside a documentary about one of the 2,300 amateur and school performances of the work staged in Texas. “High School Musical: The Music in You” is directed by award-winning documentarian Barbara Kopple.
“High School Musical” is the first musical written by Barsocchini, who started out as a rock music journalist. He says he was writing it about the time he was also writing a racy series about models for Lifetime that he thought would be his ticket to success. Instead, it was the smaller film he was writing for his 10-year-old daughter, based on events in his own life (he quit the basketball team as a senior to become a journalist when he was a senior) that really made his career.
He says he had to fight with Disney to make it about high school instead about middle schoolers, which is a bigger part of its audience. But in part because of his daughter, Barsocchini says he knows that the tween audience “wants to see where they’re going, not where they’ve been. But we had to fight that.”
Once Disney agreed, the company was very accepting. “They shot the first draft script,” Barsocchini says, “which is the first time I the history of the company that that’s happening.”
It only cost $4.2 million to make the first film, which played to 160 million viewers in more than 100 countries, led to a no. 1 album of 2006 and the years No. 1 TV movie on DVD, a sold out 42-date concert tour, an upcoming tour on ice and theatrical tour and five-country South America tour and more than 1,500 high school and community theater productions in the U.S. alone.
The first film was shot in Salt Lake City because director Kenny Ortega, who had previously choreographed for the Olympics there, knew the place was filled with talented locals (18,000 kids auditioned for to be in the sequel’s ensemble, though it was never officially announced).
Still, not a lot of excess money was spent on the sequel, sure to be as big a hit for Disney – at just $7 million, when $12 million is still a common budget for a movie expected to do we well as “2” will.
Currently, Borsocchini is writing no less than eight different musicals, including one for HBO starring Mariah Carey.
Five different international feature films are in the works adapting the original U.S. version in India, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Russia, he says.
“Kids are flipping out in every culture over this,” Borsocchini says. And somehow, “It’s bigger in South America and Asia than it is here.”
hey high school musical cast i am so glad that you guys are making 3,4 and maybe 5 im so happy :)
Posted by: stacie thompson | April 09, 2008 at 07:41 PM
Dear High School Musical,
Hey High School Musical Kenny here and I'm think I think I can rok your stage if you just let me. Iv'e got third place in the talent show for Stick To The Status QUO. And I just got started in a play. Which was a hit if I do say so myself. If you give me this chance to do somthing I know you will never regret it. If you want to know my hobbies they are Acting,Singing,and Writing and also drawing. As you can see I am very artistic person. I just want a chance. And you know if I you let me audition you'll be begging me to stay on stage. Thanks!
Posted by: Kennneth Tate | April 06, 2008 at 12:32 AM
hiya hsm is the best film i hav ever seen i am obsessed in hsm2, i just love the songs nd dance moves! i really hope u make a hsm3,4,5,6,7,8,9 etc i love it sooooooooooooooo much. please keep vanessa she made a mistake but so does every1 else so plz keep her i think her nd zac make a fantastic couple!
Posted by: anna | March 28, 2008 at 12:43 PM
I don't think you can reject Vanessa just because she sent naked pictures to Zac and they went allover on internet. I'm sure she didn't do it on purpus!!!
Posted by: kim | March 24, 2008 at 05:02 PM
please make that Zac, Vanessa, corbin, monique, Ashley and Lucas are in HSM 3!!!!!!!!!!!!! please!¨At least Zac, Vanessa, Ashley and Monique!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
pleeeeeaaaaase!!!!
Posted by: kim | March 24, 2008 at 04:53 PM
high scholl rules!!!!!!!!!!
plis don't stop record this movie because is my favorite........
plis!!!!!
zac efron is the sweetest boy on the world
Posted by: asya | March 24, 2008 at 08:42 AM
Get Monique Colemon out of hsm3 PLZ dont Get Zac,Vanessa,Ashley,Ryan and Corbin Out PLZ
Posted by: Sarah | March 21, 2008 at 01:36 PM
don't stop makeing high school musical because i love it make it all the way to high school musical 33
Posted by: kelvin | March 09, 2008 at 08:47 PM
There sooooo has to be a HSM 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10! I love it!!!!! It is the best movie on earth!
I learned all the words and dance moves from both the movies! And I know the whole scrip to HSM 2. Dont recast anyone! I love them ALL!!! HSM rules!!!
Posted by: Zac | February 24, 2008 at 08:11 PM
I think that it is way out of order to rejected vanessa like that just because of some pictures and she didn't even post them all over the internet!!!!! please keep the original cast if you change it then it wont be the same and no one will watch it and all my mates wont watch it because they love the original cast PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, keep vanessa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Tatie | February 20, 2008 at 03:34 PM
You know, they won't dare take zac efron or vanessa hudgens or ashley tisdale or lucas gabreel off the hsm cast cos if they do- they WILL SO LOSE ALL THEIR FANS and lose money. GO HSM ORIGINAL CAST!!
Posted by: Janno | February 16, 2008 at 01:56 AM
Hey i absolutly lv zac efron he is so hott. so pleaz do not put in jesse mcartney!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Ashten | February 07, 2008 at 09:50 AM
I don't want this rewind by It takes two
Posted by: yanti | February 05, 2008 at 03:09 PM
Hey everyone!!
Im Bob Sears 42 yrs old and owner of GEMINI KARAOKE in Salina,KS ever since HSM came out I always have someone doing songs from this musical at my show. Im very excited about HSM3 and look forward to added songs from the 3rd sequel to my collection
Posted by: Bob Sears | February 04, 2008 at 03:55 PM
High School Musical 2 is the BEST MOVIE yet in the history of Earth. They're songs are cool.
Posted by: david | February 04, 2008 at 03:34 PM
I love High School Musical 1 and 2
I love Troy and Gabriella.
Posted by: Kiran | February 03, 2008 at 03:13 AM
I wish they would let u talk about hsm 4 and 5 because i love hsm and zac efron is so hot!!! i ope you guys dont get rid of anybody. if you guys get rid of zac rfon and replace wit jesse mcartney i wont even watc any more hsm. and ont get rid of vanessa because she did somthing wrong but she apologized to everyone! so please do not get rid of her because her and zac have such a connection nd if you take the connection away you dont have ANYTHIING to make into a movie.
Posted by: Zac Lover | February 03, 2008 at 12:21 AM
What is this you totally think that will happen I swear and I"ll say it again I swear if you do not put the same characters I will be like a maniac this is sooooooooo STUPID!!!! and dum!!!!!!!Who ever is in charge of this are dead Meat guess why beacause I AM THE UNDERTAKER!!!FROM DEATH VALLEY and I will do the choke slam tombstone and triangle choke who ever is in charge of this!!!
Posted by: Undertaker | January 31, 2008 at 09:23 PM
high school musical is the best.Please keep on making them.If they go to college than it will be call
College School Musical
Posted by: saahil | January 30, 2008 at 06:11 PM
i love vanessa
Posted by: Umar | January 30, 2008 at 04:47 PM
hsm is the best ever its ma fav film and u have to keep VANESSA is the best so dont let her go cuz she and zac make the movie and if there not in it then i will not whatch it i no vanessa make a mistake but we all make then and she did say sorry so let her stay in hsm 3,4,5,6,ect and zac is so sexy and cute hsm is the best and i cant live with out it i love the movie it is the best ever and it it the best ever made film in the world
Posted by: hannah | January 29, 2008 at 12:24 PM
PLEASEEE DONT MAKE MORE
Posted by: Shazz | January 27, 2008 at 07:35 PM
High school musical is so COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Brianna | January 27, 2008 at 11:34 AM
hsm is like my fav movie ever... my bff keeps telling me they are not going to have 4 and 5. plzzzzzzzz have 4 and 5.
Posted by: unanymous | January 18, 2008 at 09:04 PM
I LOVED High School Muscail 1,2 i hope all the cast in high school Muscail 1,2 are in high school muscail 3,4,5,6,7 and so all
I LOVE HIGH SCHOOL MUSCAIL evry thing to do with it
Posted by: Aoife Conaghan | January 18, 2008 at 05:50 PM