Disney is preparing to revisit one of its most beloved Halloween franchises, with a fifth Halloweentown movie reportedly in early development nearly two decades after the last instalment.
According to reports, Disney Channel and Disney+ are working on a new chapter in the magical franchise, which first captured audiences in 1998. The upcoming project marks a potential return to the supernatural world that became a seasonal favourite for generations of Disney Channel viewers.
Halloweentown 5 Brings a Beloved Franchise Back to Life
Screenwriters Lily Houghton and Ryan Koehn have been tapped to develop the script, drawing on the characters originally created by Paul Bernbaum for the first film.
Houghton previously worked on the horror comedy Forbidden Fruits, while Koehn has writing credits on the Gossip Girl reboot, among other projects. Their involvement brings experience in both genre storytelling and young-adult drama to the next potential instalment.
However, specific details about the storyline remain under wraps. It has yet to be confirmed whether the project will continue the original story or take the franchise in a new direction. Casting details, a director and a potential release date have also not been announced.
The film is reportedly being developed for Disney Channel and Disney+, although its eventual release plans will depend on the project’s progress.
Will the Original Halloweentown Cast Return?
One of the biggest questions surrounding the new movie is whether familiar faces will return to the magical town.
The original Halloweentown premiered in 1998 and starred Kimberly J. Brown as Marnie Piper, a teenager who discovers she comes from a family of witches. Alongside her siblings, Marnie follows her grandmother, Aggie Cromwell, played by the late Debbie Reynolds, into a supernatural world filled with witches, goblins and other magical creatures.
The original film spawned three sequels: Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge in 2001, Halloweentown High in 2004 and Return to Halloweentown in 2006.
Brown portrayed Marnie in the first three films before Sara Paxton took over the role for the fourth instalment. Whether either actress will return for the new project remains unknown.
Reynolds, whose performance as Aggie was central to the franchise, passed away in 2016, leaving any potential continuation to find its own way of honouring the character’s legacy.
Why Disney Is Returning to Halloweentown
The franchise’s enduring popularity offers a compelling reason for Disney to revisit its supernatural world. The four films have reportedly accumulated more than 160 million hours of viewing globally on Disney+, demonstrating their continued appeal among nostalgic fans and newer audiences.
The original film also ranked among Disney+’s 10 most-watched Halloween movies during October 2025, reinforcing its position as a seasonal favourite.
With audiences continuing to embrace familiar Halloween classics, another Halloweentown adventure could introduce the franchise to a new generation while giving longtime fans a chance to return to a world they grew up with.
For now, the project remains in its early stages, and further details about the story and cast are still to come. All four original Halloweentown movies are available to stream on Disney+.
Whether the fifth film reunites familiar characters or introduces a new generation of witches, the prospect of returning to Halloweentown is already an exciting development for fans of Disney’s classic Halloween movies.
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