High School Musical 3: Senior Year

High School Musical 3
Directed by	Kenny Ortega
Written by	Peter Barsocchini
Distributed by	Walt Disney Pictures
Release date	2008
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$13.3 million

High School Musical 3 is an upcoming threequel to Disney Channel's popular High School Musical television franchise, set for a possible release in late 2008 in theaters.

Development

In February of 2007, Disney announced plans for a 2008 feature film sequel with a Halloween theme dubbed "Haunted High School Musical." In September of 2007, Disney said they had scrapped plans for the Halloween theme and instead will focus on the senior year of key characters at East High. According to Yahoo news, the original writer from the first two films, Peter Barsocchini, is writing the script. The original producers and director Kenny Ortega are also on board. Ortega confirmed this to Access Hollywood. Walt Disney Studios also released the following statement; "There is no contractual obligation for any of the cast members to return. That said, we are in active negotiations with all of the principle [six] cast members and are feeling optimistic."

Zac Efron was quoted from People Magazine, saying: "I can tell you that if the script is good and if we all agree on a final script, then there's nothing that is going to hold us back from doing it. We have fun making these movies and that's very rare in this business."

Rumors persist of ongoing salary disputes between Disney and the lead performers, particularly Efron. According to Rachel Abramowitz, as reported online by the Chicago Tribune, "An eclectic cross-section of Hollywood insiders think Efron should get a cool $5 million for "High School Musical 3," the theatrical version of the franchise, which Disney is hoping to make prestrike -- i.e., in the next nine months, before a possible Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild strike shuts down Hollywood." Efron declined to comment for the article, and "although contract negotiations still are ongoing, sources say Efron is being offered a salary closer to $3 million, not $5 million, for the follow-up, which focuses on senior year at East High.

Kenny Ortega, the director of HSM and HSM 2, has stated that Pre-production will most likely start in January 2008, and filming will begin in Spring 2008. He stated that the script has been submitted (before the Writers strike started) and that they are currently developing music. He added that filming will happen in Salt Lake City, Utah (as the first two films). He hinted that the plot will be something of the nature of the Wildcat's final year in High School and stated "it looks like we've rounded up the cast."

Vanessa Hudgens photo scandal

Despite early speculation that Vanessa Hudgens would be dropped from High School Musical 3 due to her nude photo scandal, The Walt Disney Company denied the reports, saying, "Vanessa has apologized for what was obviously a lapse in judgment. We hope she's learned a valuable lesson."

Although it was reported by OK! Magazine that due to her nude scandal Vanessa would be replaced by Adrienne Bailon from the Cheetah Girls in High School Musical 3, Access Hollywood has confirmed that the cast is still in negotiations and Vanessa will not be cut from High School Musical 3. Vanessa's representative quoted, "Totally untrue. It is an old rumor,". The representative told Access, "OK! magazine never bothered to check the fact with me, but they did call Disney who said it wasn’t true, but yet OK! ran it anyway. Apparently, OK! magazine was having a slow news day."

Production Announcements

According to documents filed with the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development board (GOED), Utah will again be the setting for HSM3. Shooting is scheduled to begin from April 21, 2008, and is expected to be complete by June 13, 2008. Lisa Roskelly, spokeswoman for Governor John Huntsman Jr. said, "[The third] High School Musical will be officially shooting in Utah." According to the Salt Lake City Tribune, "...to help lure the production back to where it all began - at Salt Lake City's East High School - the GOED board Friday approved a maximum $2 million incentive for the production, the largest ever given to entice a filmmaker to Utah." The 41 days scheduled for shooting is a longer period than for the first two films. Disney has declined comment on whether or not East High School will be used for shooting again, but the school board has revealed they have been meeting with Disney. <ref>'High School Musical 3' shooting at East High?