Exclusive: Kenny Ortega Reflects on 10 Years of Disney’s DESCENDANTS

July 31, 2025 officially marks 10 years since the debut of Disney's Descendants. The Disney Channel film, led by Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Booboo Stewart, and the late Cameron Boyce, launched a massive franchise that still continues today.

Behind the camera for the first three films is choreographer/director extraordinaire Kenny Ortega, whose resume also includes the popular High School Musical series. Though well-remembered for its catchy musical numbers, Descendants wasn't always intended to be a musical, Ortega shared with BroadwayWorld in an exclusive interview.

"They gave me an incredible script: the children of Disney heritage characters. I thought, 'So many of those [original] films were music-driven.' We talked about it, and I don't think the conversation lasted more than ten minutes," he remembers about the decision to add original songs. 

One such song was "Rotten to the Core," the movie's opening number performed by the four principal characters. Ortega recalled the shooting of the scene as a memorable moment for him on set. "I watched them come rocking down the street on the Isle of the Lost, and I thought, 'Whoa, we've got something here!' I think, without saying it, we all kind of knew that there was this great possibility that we were on to something that was enjoyable."

Check out the full interview, where the director shares more about the casting process, and which Disney legacy character he would love to see in a future installment of the franchise (Hint: He never grows up). Disney's Descendants is available to stream on Disney+.

“Descendants" debuted on Disney Channel in July 2015. Since then, the franchise has dominated youth entertainment, with each of the first three films ranking as the most-watched cable movie of their year. In 2024, “Descendants: The Rise of Red” debuted on Disney+ as the most-watched original movie among Kids and Girls 6–11. This summer, the “Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide Tour” will celebrate music from both hit franchises.

Producer, director, and choreographer Kenny Ortega has brought many musicals to life through films and television movies, including Hocus Pocus, the High School Musical trilogy, Newsies, the first three Descendants films, Hannah Montana, and more. Most recently, he served as director and executive producer for the musical Netflix series Julie and the Phantoms. Last year, BroadwayWorld reported that he would be directing a new young adult reimagining of The Phantom of the Opera for Disney+. He is also set to executive produce a new live-action LEGO Friends TV musical.