Disney is developing a new “Halloweentown” movie, the first entry in the beloved franchise in 20 years. The fifth film is still in early development, with Lily Houghton and Ryan Koehn writing the script. If Disney gives it the green light, the movie will debut on Disney Channel and Disney+. The last installment, “Return to Halloweentown,” premiered in 2006.
What We Know About the New Halloweentown Movie
Houghton wrote the horror comedy “Forbidden Fruits,” while Koehn worked as a staff writer on the “Gossip Girl” reboot. Their script builds on characters from Paul Bernbaum, who wrote the original 1998 film. Beyond that, Disney hasn’t shared a plot, cast, director or release date. For now, the project remains in the script stage.
The timing makes sense, since the franchise has racked up 160 million hours streamed on Disney+ worldwide. Last October, the original film also ranked among the platform’s 10 most-watched Halloween movies. Back in 2006, “Return to Halloweentown” ranked as the fourth-highest-rated Disney Channel Original Movie at the time. News of the fifth film arrived just two days after that movie turned 20. Franchise producer Sheri Singer first floated the idea of another sequel back in 2017.
Will Marnie Return?
The original films starred Kimberly J. Brown as Marnie Piper and Judith Hoag as her mom, Gwen. Joey Zimmerman played Marnie’s brother Dylan, and the late Debbie Reynolds played their grandmother, Aggie Cromwell. Sara Paxton replaced Brown in “Return to Halloweentown,” and Brown has said she wasn’t sure why. Disney hasn’t announced any casting for the new movie, but Brown wants back in. Speaking with PauseRewind before the news broke, she said “we’re all down to do another one.”
A Halloween Tradition Since 1998
The original “Halloweentown” premiered on Disney Channel on October 17, 1998, as the fourth Disney Channel Original Movie. Three sequels followed with “Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge,” “Halloweentown High” in 2004 and “Return to Halloweentown” in 2006. Fun fact: Brown first met her husband, Daniel Kountz, as her co-star in “Halloweentown II.” All four movies are streaming on Disney+, just in time for Halloween.
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