Halloweentown 5 is in early development at Disney, with a script in the works for Disney Channel and Disney+, TheWrap reported on October 22, 2026. The fifth film comes 20 years after Return to Halloweentown (2006). Disney has not announced a cast, plot or release date, and no actor has been confirmed. Below is what is known so far, what fans are asking for, the movies in order and the questions people search most.
Last updated on October 26, 2026. We update this page when Disney confirms casting or a release plan. Looking for more Halloween viewing? See our Halloween 2026 streaming guide.
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Halloweentown 5 at a Glance
| Question | Answer |
| Status | In early development at Disney, per TheWrap (October 22, 2026) |
| Where it would air | Disney Channel and Disney+ |
| Writers | Lily Houghton (Forbidden Fruits) and Ryan Koehn (Gossip Girl reboot) |
| Based on | Characters created by Paul Bernbaum, who wrote the original 1998 film |
| Cast | Not announced. Kimberly J. Brown has said she is willing to return |
| Release date | Not announced |
| Official Disney statement | None yet |
| Where to stream the first four films | Disney+ |
Halloweentown 5 News: What We Know
TheWrap’s exclusive says Halloweentown 5 is in early development at Disney Channel and Disney+. Lily Houghton and Ryan Koehn are writing the script, working from characters created by Paul Bernbaum. Houghton wrote Forbidden Fruits and Koehn has written on the Gossip Girl reboot. The report says additional details are being kept under wraps and includes no on-record statement from Disney.
The timing is not a surprise. TheWrap reports that the franchise has reached 160 million hours streamed on Disney+ worldwide, and that the original film ranked among the most-watched Halloween movies on the service last October.
What We Do Not Know Yet
- Cast. No actor has been announced, and it is unclear whether Kimberly J. Brown or Sara Paxton would return as Marnie.
- Plot. Disney has not shared a story or whether it follows Marnie or a new generation of the Cromwell family.
- Release date. Early development means there is no premiere window yet, and the project would still need an official go-ahead.
- Format. Earlier films were Disney Channel Original Movies. Reports name Disney Channel and Disney+ as the platforms, but nothing else about the format is confirmed.
Who Could Be in Halloweentown 5? The Franchise Cast
Nothing below is a casting announcement. These are the actors fans are talking about, and the roles they played in the first four films.
Kimberly J. BrownMarnie Piper in the first three filmsFILMS 1-3
Sara PaxtonTook over as Marnie in Return to Halloweentown (2006)FILM 4
Debbie ReynoldsGrandma Aggie Cromwell in all four films (died 2016)ALL 4 FILMS
Judith HoagGwen Piper, Marnie’s mother, in the filmsTHE PIPERS
Photo credits: Kimberly J. Brown by John Manard (CC BY-SA 4.0); Sara Paxton by LATeenFestival (CC BY 3.0); Debbie Reynolds, studio photograph (public domain); Judith Hoag by Super Festivals (CC BY 2.0), all via Wikimedia Commons.
Debbie Reynolds played Aggie Cromwell, Marnie’s witch grandmother, in all four films and died in December 2016, so a fifth movie would have to move on without the franchise’s best-known face. Joey Zimmerman (Dylan) and Emily Roeske (Sophie), Marnie’s younger brother and sister, were also in the original films.
What Fans Are Asking For
The reaction on social media since the report has been loud and fairly consistent:
- Bring back Kimberly J. Brown as Marnie. The most repeated request is that Brown return, with some fans saying they would not watch a Marnie without her.
- Get the original cast back. Fans want the Piper family from the first three films reunited, not a full reboot with new faces.
- Give Brown a bigger role behind the camera. One fan suggestion is that she help write or direct.
Brown has said publicly that she is open to coming back. In an interview before the news broke, she said she had told Disney she was willing. Her involvement has not been confirmed.
Halloweentown Movies in Order
All four films are on Disney+. Release order and story order are the same, so you can watch them straight through before news on the fifth arrives.
| # | Movie | Year | Marnie played by |
| 1 | Halloweentown | 1998 | Kimberly J. Brown |
| 2 | Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge | 2001 | Kimberly J. Brown |
| 3 | Halloweentown High | 2004 | Kimberly J. Brown |
| 4 | Return to Halloweentown | 2006 | Sara Paxton |
| 5 | Halloweentown 5 | In development | Not announced |
Halloweentown 5 FAQ: What People Are Searching
Is there going to be a Halloweentown 5?
Yes, a fifth film is in early development at Disney, according to TheWrap’s October 22, 2026 report. Disney has not given an on-record statement or a release date.
Is there a 5th Halloweentown movie?
A fifth movie is in development but has not been made yet. The four existing films are Halloweentown (1998), Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge (2001), Halloweentown High (2004) and Return to Halloweentown (2006).
Halloweentown 5 release date
There is no release date. The project is in early development with a script being written.
Halloweentown 5 cast: who is in it?
No cast has been announced. It is not confirmed whether Kimberly J. Brown or Sara Paxton will return as Marnie.
Who is writing Halloweentown 5?
Lily Houghton and Ryan Koehn, based on characters created by Paul Bernbaum, who wrote the original film.
Is there a Halloweentown 5 trailer?
No. The film has not started production, so there is no trailer.
Why was Marnie recast in Halloweentown 4?
Sara Paxton played Marnie in Return to Halloweentown (2006) instead of Kimberly J. Brown, who played the role in the first three films. Brown has said she was open to returning, and fans have kept asking for her.
Where can I watch the Halloweentown movies?
All four films stream on Disney+.
Halloweentown movies in order
Halloweentown (1998), Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge (2001), Halloweentown High (2004), Return to Halloweentown (2006).
Who played Aggie Cromwell?
Debbie Reynolds, in all four films. She died in 2016.
Want more fall viewing and news? See our Halloween 2026 guide, the reality TV schedule for this week and our guide to Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
Details are based on TheWrap’s October 22, 2026 report, with follow-up coverage from Variety, Collider and Yahoo Entertainment, and Kimberly J. Brown’s earlier public comments. This page is updated as Disney shares more.
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