Growl Power Returns: Disney Greenlights 'The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen' With Raven-Symoné and Adrienne Bailon

Disney has greenlit The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen for Disney Channel and Disney+, reuniting original stars Raven-Symoné and Adrienne Bailon with a new generation of Cheetahs. The film follows Galleria, Chanel and a group of teens who travel to a South African wildlife sanctuary, with production starting later this month.

Growl power is officially back. Disney has greenlit The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen, a brand-new movie for Disney Channel and Disney+ that reunites original stars Raven-Symoné and Adrienne Bailon as Galleria and Chanel while handing the microphone to a new generation of Cheetahs. For the millennials who grew up on the 2003 hit, it is the kind of comeback that turns a casual scroll into an instant group-chat alert.

The Cheetah Girls Are Back — With the Next Generation in Tow

Raven-Symoné and Adrienne Bailon reprise Galleria and Chanel, while Sabrina Bryan makes a special appearance as Dorinda and Lynn Whitfield and Lori Alter return as Dorothea and Juanita. Kiely Williams, part of the original core four, is not attached to the film at this time. Joining the franchise is Sophia Bush as Jennifré, alongside a new class of Cheetahs: Leah Sava' Jeffries ("Percy Jackson and the Olympians") as Galleria's daughter Faith, Carmen Sanchez ("Electric Bloom") as Chanel's sister Dior, Kaileen Chang as Ruby and Sophie Lennon as Brooklyn. Newcomer Kamogelo Ramashala rounds out the group as Kendi.

A Wildlife-Sanctuary Adventure Set in South Africa

According to the official logline, the story "picks up when Cheetah Girls Galleria (Symoné) and Chanel (Bailon), alongside Galleria's daughter Faith (Jeffries) and her three friends, travel to Africa to volunteer at a wildlife sanctuary. Along the way, these four teen girls test their friendship, find their voice, and discover the true Cheetah spirit as they save the preserve and ultimately take the stage as the new Cheetah Girls." Fittingly, production is set to begin later this month in South Africa.

The Creative Team Behind the Reunion

Longtime franchise executive producer Debra Martin Chase returns in that role for Next Gen, with Raven-Symoné also executive producing and Bailon serving as a co-producer. Bille Woodruff directs and co-produces from a script by Kara Holden, Sarah Watson and Deborah Swisher, with choreography by Kyle Hanagami. The film is produced by Disney Kids & Family.

"The Cheetah Girls has always been about friendship, music, and empowering young people to use their voice. That spirit connected deeply with a generation of fans, and it still resonates today. Bringing this dynamic new group of young stars to the franchise allows us to continue that legacy for a new era of kids and families." — Ayo Davis, president of Disney Kids & Family

From 2003 Phenomenon to a New Era

The Cheetah Girls movies are based on the book series by Deborah Gregory. The first film premiered as a Disney Channel Original Movie in 2003 to major success, spawning two sequels — The Cheetah Girls 2 and The Cheetah Girls: One World — and a hit soundtrack, while the core cast toured and recorded as The Cheetah Girls through 2008. (Symoné appeared in "Cheetah Girls 2" but sat out "One World" to focus on her solo career.) The franchise helped kick-start the entire Disney Channel musical wave that later produced High School Musical, Camp Rock and Descendants. Next Gen also marks Raven-Symoné's latest return to a signature Disney Channel role, following six seasons of Raven's Home — the "That's So Raven" spinoff — between 2017 and 2023.

Why Fans Are Buzzing

For a generation that memorized every word of "Cinderella" and "The Party's Just Begun," the promise of Galleria and Chanel back on screen — now mentoring the daughters and little sisters who inherit the spotlight — hits a powerful nostalgic nerve. It also signals Disney's continued bet on reviving its Disney Channel Original Movie library for both longtime fans and the kids discovering these stories for the first time. With cameras rolling in South Africa this month, the growl-power comeback is no longer a fan wish — it's officially in motion.