Two weeks ago I was in Los Angeles to talk to the cast of Prom, Disney's upcoming teen-centric movie about the annual event, and I also spent an hour talking with the film's screenwriter, Katie Wech. I had enjoyed the movie a lot-- more on that when the embargo lifts-- and admired Wech's sense of humor and ability to write for teenage characters within a strict PG rating but still give everyone a lot of personality and create real dramatic stakes. I also talked to her about sequels, given the pretty safe assumption that Disney greenlights everything with the hope of making a franchise out of it; while she was happy to acknowledge that she'd love to write the characters again and speculated some possible scenarios, she wasn't spilling a single detail and didn't suggest that anything was in the works.
Turns out two weeks, and presumably a few more test screenings, can make a big difference. THR reports that Disney has asked Wech to write another teen movie, though they're being cagey on whether it's a sequel to Prom or a different story (that probably depends on how the movie does when it opens next Friday). Given that the movie largely features a cast of unknowns, some of whom aren't college-bound seniors, it's easy to see some of the characters returning for the next go-round, aided by a new, even fresher-faced cast. They're also speculating, correctly, that getting the ball rolling now on a script means they could have a sequel ready in time for prom season next year.
I'll be writing a lot about Prom next week as I post my video interviews with the cast and my enormous long interview with Wech, so check back for much, much more on the fluffy teen movie you might surprise yourself by liking. By next Friday, you may be more excited about this sequel news than you could have expected.
