That's So Cheetah: The Cheetah Girls to Return for Another Ride

Due for a Comeback

"Cheetahlicious," a quote posted by Raven-Symone on her Instagram, can only confirm one thing. A beloved movie franchise created by Disney is having a long-awaited comeback. Titled "Cheetah Girls: The Next Gen", filming is set to commence in late July 2026, with filming taking place in South Africa. "Next Gen" signifies that new faces are expected to be introduced in the movie, but old faces are confirmed to return as well.

Humble Beginnings

Raven Symone has had a very lucrative career. Starting off as an adorable young face shown in front of millions in commercials, to her big break as an additional member of the Cosby crew, Symone showcased a rare level of charisma hardly seen in a five year old. She proved to be a welcome add on to the official cast. From her sassy comebacks towards the Huxtable family, to her stupendous performance lip syncing to "I'm a Woman", Raven can clearly see she had a bright future ahead of her.

Fast forward to 2003. Symone was able to showcase how much she had evolved as an actress in "That's so Raven". Unlike any other teenager, Raven Baxter can see glimpses of the future of herself and her other friends. A formula that proved to be a well made creation, That's So Raven became one of the Disney Channel's most noteworthy success stories. Lasting a solid four seasons before concluding in 2007. With the success of the show, Disney was looking to capitalize on her newfound fame.

The Cheetah Girls Hit the Road

Enter the Cheetah Girls. The story follows a group of four ambitious teenagers in hopes of starting a successful girl group. It seems that Disney thought Symone's charisma could successfully translate into film, and they were correct in their hypothesis. The Cheetah Girls would turn out to be another achievement in Raven's career. The movie was immensely popular, spawning an entire franchise. But what made the Cheetah Girls stand out from other big series was the fact that the Girls became a real life vocal group as a way to legitimize the group, or possibly for a way to bring more moolah to the table. Even with all of that considered, the project proved to be a massive hit with tweens and teenagers alike, so no one should be surprised that the House of Mouse is willing to rake in that sweet nostalgic cash.

What to Expect from the New Cheetah Girls

Not much is known about the Next Gen movie, but what is already confirmed displays a promising comeback. Although the movie will primarily focus on the new girls, the original Cheetah Girls will also return as mentors. Raven Symone as well as Adrienne Bailon and Sabrina Bryan will return to their respective roles. The new cast includes Leah Jeffries as Faith, Carmen Sanchez as Dior, Kaileen Chang as Ruby, and Sophie Lennon as Brooklyn. Sounds like a promising crew.

Let's hope the new generation is capable of holding the Cheetah Crown for years to come.

Photo Credit: Disney