‘High School Musical’ Movies In Order
The High School Musical movies were such an integral part of the cultural zeitgeist for millennials that it's almost impossible to talk about them with people who don't get it. For many of us, they were the first live-action musicals we watched that featured our own generation, so there's something special tethered to that detail, too. We all remember where we were when it first premiered and how many times we waited to see when the next rerun would be announced, right?
Since then, a lot of these actors have gone on to do incredible things with their careers, and we've also had a pretty solid reboot show in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019). Capturing the art of theater while dabbling with the woes of popular kids, High School Musical (2006) started it all while simultaneously giving us a sweet romance. If you're looking for the correct order to rewatch now that the films are on Disney+, then we've got you covered.
It's not every first of a franchise that immediately becomes a favorite and stays one, but in my book, few things top the original High School Musical. For many of us, this is also likely where our love for the athlete and nerdy academic student trope continued to grow, along with shows like One Tree Hill (2003).
Starring Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Lucas Grabeel, Monique Coleman, and more, it kickstarts the franchise gorgeously by breaking the status quo in a way that'll forever result in us breaking out into song when the words come up. With wildly fun and catchy songs, the first movie makes a point about effectively breaking molds as it delivers a love story that's precious and legitimately memorable from start to finish.
Next up is High School Musical 2, which takes everything from the original movie and doubles it, bringing the angst and longing in a way that sticks the landing. It's a solid and well-written sequel that manages to not only be compelling but, where the music is concerned, maybe even a little stronger than the original.
Zac Efron singing "Bet On It" dramatically across a field of green is a mood that's still being used as memes today. "Gotta Go My Own Way" is every angsty girl's jam to touch on the emotions jeopardizing our favorite romance, and "Everyday" hits like a ton of bricks every time. Thoughtful, gorgeously choreographed, and surprisingly relatable, High School Musical 2 is the kind of sequel you rewatch over and over again right after the first.
High School Musical 3: Senior Year, the last in the trilogy, is great when you're younger, but the kind of film you can't help but notice flaws in when you're older. Still, it's a lovely final chapter that gives our favorite characters the happy ending they all deserve. As the title implies, it's senior year, so naturally every emotion is heightened as the end comes closer for our main characters.
We get some fun songs in this one, though none as memorable as in the first two, even though they're still really solid. More importantly, when we know this is the end, the slower rendition of "We're All in This Together (Graduation)" hits differently here. It's also riveting to take note of how the actors have grown with their characters and how their voices have evolved. Ultimately, despite some of the timely antics that make it a bit saccharine, all of these details contribute to making the final movie a treat.
