What Happened to The Cheetah Girls?

The phenomenon of The Cheetah Girls originated from Deborah Gregory's best-selling young adult book series, which Disney adapted into a highly successful Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) in 2003. The film starred Raven-Symoné as Galleria, Adrienne Bailon as Chanel, Kiely Williams as Aquanetta, and Sabrina Bryan as Dorinda, portraying four aspiring singers from Manhattan. The movie was a massive hit, premiering to 6.5 million viewers and becoming the highest-rated DCOM at the time, with its soundtrack achieving double-platinum status.

Following the film's success, Disney decided to develop The Cheetah Girls as a real-life recording group. However, Raven-Symoné opted to focus on her solo career, leading to the formation of a trio comprising Bailon, Williams, and Bryan. This trio released their debut studio album, "Cheetah-licious Christmas," in 2005. Raven-Symoné did return for the sequel film, "The Cheetah Girls 2," in 2006, which was filmed in Barcelona, Spain, and garnered even higher ratings with 8.1 million viewers. The soundtrack for "The Cheetah Girls 2" also achieved platinum certification.

The group continued as a trio, releasing their second studio album, "TCG," in 2007. Their final film, "The Cheetah Girls: One World," premiered in 2008 and was the only installment without Raven-Symoné, who later revealed she felt "excluded and ostracized" during the production of the second film. The group embarked on three North American tours throughout their career, but officially disbanded in late December 2008, citing a desire to pursue more adult interests and Disney's shifting focus to other popular acts like 'High School Musical' and 'Hannah Montana'.

Post-disbandment, the members pursued diverse individual careers. Raven-Symoné continued her acting career, notably on Disney Channel's "Raven's Home," and launched a new home collection called JAXX in June 2026. Adrienne Bailon-Houghton has had a successful career as a television host, co-hosting "The Real" (2013-2022) for which she won a Daytime Emmy, and starring in the Roku romantic comedy "Chef's Kiss" in February 2026. She also won her first Grammy Award in 2026 with Israel & New Breed for "Coritos Vol. 1." Sabrina Bryan participated in "Dancing With the Stars" twice and continued acting, while Kiely Williams appeared in several films and has been open about the group's past dynamics.

On July 8, 2026, Disney announced a fourth film, "The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen," which will begin production in South Africa this month. Raven-Symoné and Adrienne Bailon are confirmed to return as Galleria and Chanel, respectively, with Sabrina Bryan making a special appearance as Dorinda. Kiely Williams is not expected to return. The new movie will introduce a fresh cast of young actresses who will form the new Cheetah Girls, with the story following Galleria and Chanel as they travel to Africa with Galleria's daughter Faith and her friends to volunteer at a wildlife sanctuary. Original executive producer Debra Martin Chase will also return, alongside Raven-Symoné as an executive producer, and Adrienne Bailon as a co-producer. This marks a significant revival for the beloved franchise, nearly two decades after the original group's disbandment.