The Descendants franchise recently returned for The Rise of Red on Disney+ and Disney Channel, but Descendants 5 has already entered development.
[ Descendants 4: Disney Announces the 15 Main Cast Members ]
Will There Be a Descendants 5?
Upon announcing the return of Descendants in September 2021, Deadline reported development was underway on two new movies. The first recently debuted with The Rise of Red, with the next seemingly still in the works.
According to Deadline, filming on The Rise of Red began in January 2023 ahead of its release 18 months later in July 2024. As such, a release window for Descendants 5 will not become clear until development progresses, especially as it is unknown how far along the writing work is.
When Will Descendants 5 Release?
How fast Descendants 5 releases and whether it gets green-lit will hinge on how audiences react to The Rise of Red and how well it performs in viewership.
Based on the production window of The Rise of Red, the earliest the film could come to Disney+ is early 2027. It will likely debut later, with no sign of filming getting underway on the follow-up anytime soon.
Who Will Return in Descendants 5?
Red (Kylie Cantrall) and Chloe (Malia Baker) took on the leading lady duties for Descendants 4. They were recently asked by J-14 if they are interested in returning for more adventures in the Disney franchise.
Both Cantrall and Baker revealed they are "down" for more Descendants movies, making it likely they would star in a fifth installment (schedule dependent).
One original cast member to reprise her role from the original Descendants trilogy in The Rise of Red was China Anne McClain as Auradon Prep principal Uma, who could continue to hold the same role into the fifth movie.
Concerning the original Descendants cast, it would be surprising to see them back after they passed up on returning for The Rise of Red.
After the passing of star Cameron Boyce, Mal actress Dove Cameron told PopBuzz how she would pass up a Descedants return as it wouldn't be the same "without the whole original cast:"
"I'm gonna say no, because I don't think it would be the same without the whole original cast. It would just be different now and also we did it. We told a full story. We completed it."
[ Who Is Kylie Cantrall? 5 Things to Know About Descendants' Red Actress ]
The first four Descendants movies are streaming on Disney+.
Read more about the Descendants franchise on The Direct:
Dove Cameron's Mal Featured In Descendants 4: Rise of Red (Photo)
What Happened to Carlos In Descendants 4? Cameron Boyce's Character Departure Explained
