Zac Efron Refuses ‘High School Musical 4’ Return Because Of Vanessa Hudgens?

When Disney Channel confirmed that High School Musical 4 is officially happening, fans of the Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens team up could not help but hope that the duo will return to the highly popular franchise. While the cast has yet to be confirmed, insiders claim that the former couple had too much history and could not even be in the same room together.

The cast of High School Musical has recently celebrated the film’s 10th anniversary. Fans, however, were disappointed when Efron was not able to make it due to prior commitments.

I have nothing but love for the #HighSchoolMusical cast & fans; wish I could’ve joined the fun in person. See it tonight @8, Disney Channel.

— Zac Efron (@ZacEfron) January 20, 2016

While the actor insisted that he had been busy promoting his new movie, Dirty Grandpa, multiple insiders claim that Zac Efron was actually trying to avoid his ex-girlfriend, Vanessa Hudgens.

According to Hollywood Life, Efron and Hudgens were still on “bad terms” since their breakup in 2010. While both have since moved on and started dating other people, the outlet’s source insisted that the High School Musical stars did not want to be in the same room together.

“Vanessa and Zac are on bad terms and they don’t want to see each other. Things would be awkward and there would be a lot of issues that would come up and they wouldn’t feel comfortable faking it in front of cameras.”

The insider claimed that the Grease: Live actress has not gotten over the “horrible break up.” If Zac Efron went to the High School Musical reunion, Vanessa would allegedly come up with an excuse not to go.

If Efron and Hudgens could not even stand to be in the same room together, some pointed out that there is a huge possibility that they would not even think about doing High School Musical 4.

Zac Efron, himself, seemed to be having second thoughts about being part of another High School Musical film. In a previous interview with Nylon Guys magazine, the actor threw a subtle shade at the franchise. At the risk of being called ungrateful, Efron explained that being famous because of Disney’s HSM was not a “real thing.”

“I try not to look at all of it. You can’t enjoy or celebrate it; it’s not a real thing. The face on the lunchbox and s***—you can’t share that with your friends.”

Efron also revealed that Richard Linklater’s Me and Orson Welles was the first movie he was ever in where he did not felt bored at all, another subtle dig at High School Musical.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever watched a movie [that I’m in] and in the end I’m like, ‘OK! I didn’t check my watch once!’ “

Zac Efron’s alleged indecisiveness to be part of the High School Musical 4 cast may not matter after all. Disney Channel Worldwide president Gary Marsh confirmed that they have started the search for a “new class of East High Wildcats” to star in the next installment of the franchise.

According to E! Online, producers of High School Musical 4 are looking for five new leads: a female soccer player, bad boy dancer, Troy 2.0, a cheerleader, and a fallen queen bee.

By the looks of it, the new Disney film will focus on a love triangle among a female soccer player, Erin, who fell in love with Derek, “a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks,” and Campbell (aka Troy 2.0 who also happens to be Sharpay and Ryan Evans’ cousin), the hot soccer captain who does not understand what Erin sees in her boyfriend.

There is still no official release date for High School Musical 4. Do you think Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens would return to the franchise? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]