The Cheetah Print Has Officially Re-Entered The Chat
Today’s Woman Crush Wednesday could not get any more spectacular, nostalgic, and glass-slipper fitting: The Cheetah Girls are officially back.
Disney Channel and Disney+ have greenlit The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen, a new music-driven film that brings back Raven-Symoné as Galleria and Adrienne Bailon-Houghton as Chanel, while opening the door for a fresh group of young stars to take the stage.
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Cheetah Sisters, New Era
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Also returning: Lynn Whitfield as Dorothea, Lori Alter as Juanita, and Sabrina Bryan in a special appearance as Dorinda. Sophia Bush has also boarded the film in a supporting role as Jennifré, because apparently this new chapter said: bring the moms, bring the legacy, bring the drama, and bring a little One Tree Hill seasoning too.
The new Cheetah crew includes Leah Sava’ Jeffries as Faith, Galleria’s daughter; Carmen Sanchez as Dior, Chanel’s sister; Kaileen Chang as Ruby; Sophie Lennon as Brooklyn; and Kamogelo Ramashala as Kendi, with Disney noting Ramashala was discovered through a global open casting call.
The story sends Galleria, Chanel, Faith, and her friends to Africa, where the girls volunteer at a wildlife sanctuary, test their friendship, find their voice, save the preserve, and ultimately discover the next generation of Cheetah spirit. Translation: the cheetah print is going international again, but this time with legacy moms, new daughters, and a whole lot of “we have grown, but the claws still sparkle” energy.
Behind the scenes, this one has major franchise DNA attached. Debra Martin Chase, who executive produced the original trilogy, returns as executive producer alongside Raven-Symoné. Bille Woodruff is set to direct and co-produce, with a screenplay by Kara Holden, Sarah Watson, and Deborah Swisher. Kyle Hanagami is handling choreography, which means the new girls better hydrate and stretch because Disney dance breaks do not play.
Adrienne Bailon-Houghton also serves as a co-producer, making this revival feel less like a random nostalgia grab and more like an actual passing of the microphone. The original Cheetah Girls movies were built around friendship, sisterhood, ambition, music, fashion, and the kind of Disney Channel confidence that had an entire generation saying “cheetahlicious” in public with no shame.
There is one obvious absence fans will notice: Kiely Williams, who played Aqua, has not been included in the announced cast list at this time. That may sting for longtime Cheetah watchers, but the door, as always with Disney nostalgia, feels emotionally open enough for fans to keep hope alive until further notice.
The Cheetah Girls Throwback Gallery
Images from the original Cheetah Girls era that helped turn the Disney Channel franchise into a full-on girl-power phenomenon.
Production on The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen is expected to begin in South Africa this month, with no premiere date announced yet. Until then, the original movies are sitting right there on Disney+ waiting to remind everybody that sometimes the party really has just begun.
Watch The Cheetah Girls Perform “The Party’s Just Begun” Live
Press play on the throwback live performance of “The Party’s Just Begun” as the franchise gears up for a new generation.
Source: ABC News / Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, People, and YouTube.
