Craig Sjodin/Disney ChannelDisney Channel Original Movies are the best, and when they happen to be musicals, they're even better. Descendants 2 premieres tonight at 8 p.m. across six networks: ABC, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Freeform, Lifetime and Lifetime Movies.
Kenny Ortega returned to direct the sequel, starring Cameron Boyce, Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, China Anne McClain and Booboo Stewart.
The network has made household names out of stars like Zac Efron, Demi Lovato and Raven-Symoné, to name a few, and in honor of Descendants, E! News presents a brief video history of the best Disney Chanel Original Movie Musicals:
The Cheetah Girls (Aug. 15, 2003)
Cast: Adrienne Bailon, Sabrina Bryan, Raven-Symoné and Kiely Williams
Director: Oz Scott
Key Songs: "Cheetah Sisters," "Cinderella" and "Girl Power"
Trivia: Whitney Houston and David Geffen were producers.
High School Musical (Jan. 20, 2006)
Cast: Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, Zac Efron, Lucas Grabeel, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale
Director: Kenny Ortega
Key Songs: "Bop to the Top," "Breaking Free," "Get'cha Head In the Game," "Start of Something New" and "We're All in This Together"
Trivia: The movie was filmed in a mere 24 days.
The Cheetah Girls 2 (Aug. 25, 2006)
Cast: Adrienne Bailon, Sabrina Bryan, Raven-Symoné and Kiely Williams
Director: Kenny Ortega
Key Songs: "Amigas Cheetahs," "Dance With Me," "The Party's Just Begun," "Step Up" and "Strut"
Trivia: The film was originally subtitled "When in Spain."
High School Musical 2 (Aug. 17, 2007)
Cast: Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, Zac Efron, Lucas Grabeel, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale
Director: Kenny Ortega
Key Songs: "All for One," "Bet on It," "Fabulous," "Gotta Go My Own Way," "I Don't Dance," "What Time Is It" and "You Are the Music in Me"
Trivia: After 17.6 million viewers tuned in, it became the most-watched premiere in cable history.
Camp Rock (June 20, 2008)
Cast: Aaryn Doyle, Roshon Fegan, Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas, Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato, Meaghan Martin, Anna Maria Perez de Taglé, Jasmine Richards and Alyson Stoner
Director: Matthew Diamond
Key Songs: "Gotta Find You," "Play My Music," "This Is Me" and "We Rock"
Trivia: Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers' parents were hidden in the crowd during "This Is Me."
The Cheetah Girls: One World (Aug. 22, 2008)
Cast: Adrienne Bailon, Sabrina Bryan, Roshan Seth, Michael Steger and Kiely Williams
Director: Paul Hoen
Key Songs: "Cheetah Love," "Dance Me If You Can" and "One World"
Trivia: Galleria Garibaldi (Raven-Symoné) is M.I.A., as she is studying at the University of Cambridge.
Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (Sept. 3, 2010)
Cast: Chloe Bridges, Roshon Fegan, Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas, Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato, Meaghan Martin, Anna Maria Perez de Taglé, Jasmine Richards and Alyson Stoner
Director: Paul Hoen
Key Songs: "Brand New Day," "Can't Back Down," "Introducing Me," "This Is Our Song" and "Wouldn't Change a Thing"
Trivia: Chloe Bridges was up for the role of Mitchie in 2008's Camp Rock; Demi Lovato was cast instead.
Lemonade Mouth (Apr. 15, 2011)
Cast: Chris Brochu, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Adam Hicks, Hayley Kiyoko, Shishir Kurup, Christopher McDonald, Bridgit Mendler, Blake Michael, Nick Roux and Naomi Scott
Director: Patricia Riggen
Key Songs: "Breakthrough," "Determinate" and "Somebody"
Trivia: Author Mark Peter Hughes makes a cameo during the Halloween party.
Teen Beach Movie (July 19, 2013)
Cast: Garrett Clayton, John Deluca, Jordan Fisher, Chrissie Fit, Ross Lynch, Maia Mitchell and Grace Phipps
Director: Jeffrey Hornaday
Key Songs: "Cruisin' for a Bruisin'," "Falling for Ya," "Like Me," "Meant to Be" and "Surf's Up"
Trivia: The opening credits contained a memorial to beach party film star Annette Funicello.
Teen Beach 2 (June 26, 2015)
Cast: Raymond A. Cham, Jr., Garrett Clayton, Piper Curda, John Deluca, Jordan Fisher, Chrissie Fit, Ross Lynch, Maia Mitchell and Grace Phipps
Director: Jeffrey Hornaday
Key Songs: "Gotta Be Me," "On My Own," "Silver Screen" and "That's How We Do"
Trivia: Ross Lynch and Maia Mitchell kissed on camera, but the unscripted scene was cut.
Descendants (July 31, 2015)
Cast: Cameron Boyce, Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Kristin Chenoweth, Mitchell Hope, Maz Jobrani, Kathy Najimy, Dan Payne, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Booboo Stewart and Keegan Connor Tracy
Director: Kenny Ortega
Key Songs: "Evil Like Me," "Did I Mention," "If Only," "Rotten to the Core" and "Set It Off"
Trivia: The movie was not intended to be a musical until Kenny Ortega signed on.
Descendants 2 (July 21, 2017)
Cast: Cameron Boyce, Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Thomas Doherty, Mitchell Hope, China Anne McClain, Dylan Playfair, Booboo Stewart
Director: Kenny Ortega
Key Songs: "Chillin' Like a Villain," "Space Between," "Ways to Be Wicked," "What's My Name" and "You and Me"
Trivia: This is the only Disney Channel Original movie to premiere in 2017.
Which Disney Channel Original Movie Musical is your favorite?
Sound off in the comments below!
(Originally published on Friday, July 31, 2015, at 10:32 a.m. PDT.)