[mickeysgirlz]

It's Official: Cast Returns for High School Musical 3 - High School Musical, Ashley Tisdale, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Zac Efron : People.com

MONDAY JANUARY 14, 2008

By Monica Rizzo

It's Official: Cast Returns for High School Musical 3 | Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron
All six of the High School Musical stars have officially signed on for High School Musical 3: Senior Year, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Productions announced Monday.

Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman and Lucas Grabeel will star in the third and final installment, a feature film. The first two movies aired to a record number of viewers on The Disney Channel.

Director Kenny Ortega tells PEOPLE he's excited about working one last time with the cast, a group of virtually unknown actors before the first HSM movie's January 2006 debut.

"I am the luckiest guy in the world and I know it," Ortega says. "This will be our last time together and I love working with these kids so much. It's going to be great."

Tisdale, who will reprise her role as school diva Sharpay, says she looks forward to returning to East High set in Utah one last time.

"I'm excited," Tisdale tells PEOPLE. "But it's going to be sad. It seems like it will be graduation and I'll be crying while we're filming."

According to the studio, HSM 3: Senior Year finds high school seniors Troy [Efron] and Gabriella [Hudgens] facing the prospect of being separated from one another as they head off in different directions to college. Joined by the rest of the Wildcat crew, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about their future.

[dznygrl]

I am soooooo excited for this movie, and I'm so glad that it's going to have the original cast!

I Lucas Grabeel!!!!!!!

[Daisee]

That's good, messing with the cast would not be a good idea.

[Campbell87]

Wahey bring on the cheese-fest!

[Willbegone]

I can't wait to see this! My DD LOVES Ashley Tisdale! Messing with the cast would have created a BIG problem. If any of the major characters were missing I think it would have hurt ticket sales.

[timkelmom]

I heard this about a month ago, but I'm glad it's official. The movie just would not be the same without the original cast. I read Vanessa was getting a significant raise this time around.

Can't wait to see it with DD. I'm sure we (and everyone else) will be there on opening day.

Coincidentally, one of the YoAMD prizes is a trip to the premier with cast and all.

[KiKi]

I'm so happy the 6 of them are coming back. I had heard rumours that Vanessa wouldn't be in it -- glad that's not true.

I wish they would do another concert tour!

[dznygrl]

Originally Posted by timkelmom

Coincidentally, one of the YoAMD prizes is a trip to the premier with cast and all.

Too bad I know they'll give this away to a kid and their family!

[dznygrl]

Originally Posted by packerbeth

He's my favorite, too!

It creates a lot of confusion in my house, because DH's name is Ryan...

[mickeysgirlz]

Originally Posted by KiKi

I'm so happy the 6 of them are coming back. I had heard rumours that Vanessa wouldn't be in it -- glad that's not true.

I wish they would do another concert tour!

I got my fingers crossed for that one too . . . my DD3 just loves the DVD of the first one . . . would love to take her to it . . . and I think the songs in HSM2 are better anyway!!