Disney Asks FNL’s Aimee Teegarden (and a Cast of Young Unknowns) to PROM

The ensemble high school comedy Prom has been on Disney’s development slate for a few months now; the studio has now assembled a cast of relative unknowns to star.  The only name I (rather adoringly) recognize is Aimee Teegarden (Friday Night Lights), who will star alongside Thomas McDonell, Danielle Campbell, Nolan Sotillo, Yin Chang, Jared Kusnitz, Nicholas Braun, Ben Esler, Kylie Bunbury, and DeVaughn Nixon.  May you find your own Teegarden on the playbill, and may you hit the jump to discuss the project further.

Deadline reports that a cast of fresh faces was always Disney’s M.O., with the intent to launch a franchise “in the mold of High School Musical.”  Katie Wech’s script is said to ape the classic John Hughes-penned teenage sagas of the eighties like Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink.  The logline revolves around the group of teens as they experience “the emotional ups and downs they go through prepping for the big dance.”

Even if it the justifications are mostly budgetary, I’m happy to see a cadre of young actors get their big shot.  With the possible exception of Taylor Kitsch, who will headline such tentpoles as Battleship and John Carter of Mars in the coming months, Friday Night Lights has not yet opened the doors for its wonderful stars that I’d like to think it would.  It’s a delight to see Teegarden’s name in the mix.

I do hope that the invocation of John Hughes is not unfounded, and that the High School Musical comparison is more superficial.  I think it would be fantastic if Disney could deliver a mature ensemble high school comedy, though it remains to be seen whether that’s what they’re going for.