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Jonas Brothers Return To ‘Camp Rock’ And Continue To Prove The Power Of Nostalgic Millennials

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The Jonas Brothers are returning to Disney Channel for the third installment of the popular Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) franchise, Camp Rock. The group, composed of Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas, will reprise their roles as Shane Gray, Jason Gray, and Nate Gray, respectively. The trio makes up the fictional band Connect 3. The brothers will also executive produce, alongside Demi Lovato, who is not reprising her role as Mitchie Torres. The movie began filming this week in Vancouver.

While rumors had been swirling for some time about a new Camp Rock movie, in part thanks to Joe’s now viral “Hot One Versus” interview from August 12, where he read the latest entry on his notes app on his phone that said, “Read Camp Rock 3.” The rumors hit a fever pitch when the brothers launched their Jonas 20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour in Rutherford, New Jersey, on August 10. Lovato joined the trio to sing “This Is Me” from Camp Rock and “Wouldn’t Change A Thing” from Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. The following day, both songs skyrocketed on music streaming platforms, with “Wouldn’t Change A Thing” earning 167,000 streams (more than seven times its total from the previous day), and “This Is Me” with the same number of streams, up from 41,000 streams the day before, according to Billboard.

According to Disney, “The story picks up when Connect 3 lose their opening act for a major reunion tour, returning to their beloved Camp Rock to discover the next big thing. As campers vie for the chance to open for their favorite band, tensions rise and friendships are tested, leading to unexpected alliances, revelations and romances.”

Joining the brothers is an all new set of campers, including Liamani Segura (Descendants: Wicked Wonderland) as Sage, Malachi Barton (ZOMBIES 4: Dawn of the Vampires) as Fletch, Lumi Pollack (Electric Bloom) as Rosie, newcomer Hudson Stone as Desi, Casey Trotter (The Thundermans) as Cliff, Brooklynn Pitts as Callie and Ava Jean as Madison. Additionally, Maria Canals-Barrera (Wizards of Waverly Place) will return as Mitchie’s mom, Connie. Sherry Cola (Joyride) joins the franchise as well.

The Nostalgia of Camp Rock

When Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam debuted in 2008 and 2010, respectively, they quickly became the movie of the summer for Disney Channel. Both are among the top 10 DCOMs of all time, and were both the number one cable movie premiere when they originally debuted.

“Camp Rock is an important part of the Disney Channel Original Movie legacy, with unforgettable music, energetic storytelling, and characters that live in the hearts of fans to this day,” said Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television. “Bringing it back with Kevin, Joe, Nick and Demi is such a full-circle moment, and we can’t wait to reintroduce this world to a new generation.”

Even today, Camp Rock continues to bring millennial nostalgia. The viral concert moment with Lovato is still making waves across the internet, with creators making Camp Rock-themed videos and recounting their childhood memories of the movies. The nostalgia-baiting reached a peak when Joe Jonas announced his return to Camp Rock 3 as Shane Gray, on August 17, in an Instagram reel that currently has seven million views, reciting his iconic line, “I’m Shane Gray for crying out loud.”

One breakout song performed by the Jonas Brothers from Camp Rock, “Play My Music,” peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was only released on the Camp Rock soundtrack. Then, immediately after the Camp Rock premiere, the music video for the brothers’ iconic hit, “Burnin’ Up,” from the third album in their discography, A Little Bit Longer, also premiered on the Disney Channel. The song would go on to be the band’s first top-five single on the Billboard Hot 100 list. The song continues to be a millennial anthem.

Without these two songs playing nearly back-to-back, the association between the Jonas Brothers and Disney would likely not be as strong for millennials as it is today. While it’s yet to be seen if Camp Rock 3 will be a hit with the new generation of Disney Channel viewers, millennial Jonas fans are chomping at the bit to see the return of Connect 3 in the new movie.

Jonas Brothers and Disney Continue to Partner in New Ways

Even though we’re likely a year or more away from Camp Rock 3 coming to the small screen, the Jonas Brothers and Disney continue to partner in new ways to bring new fans into the JoBros family.

In March of this year, it was announced that the Jonas Brothers would sing the official anthem of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary, called “Celebrate Happy.” The song became available to stream on May 13, just in time for the kickoff of the anniversary event on May 16. The song is played multiple times throughout the day at the Disneyland Resort, including at the official opening of the theme parks and during character cavalcades. Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration runs through summer 2026.

Additionally, the brothers will star in A Very Jonas Christmas Movie, coming to Disney+ on November 14. The movie will follow the brothers as they try to get from London to New York in time to spend Christmas with their families, while navigating escalating obstacles along the way.

While the Jonas Brothers continue their 20th anniversary tour, film Camp Rock 3, and get ready for what’s next, nostalgic millennials will likely be the first to share the news from the brothers on social media and to whoever will listen.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/megandubois/2025/09/18/jonas-brothers-return-to-camp-rock-and-continue-to-prove-the-power-of-nostalgic-millennials/