FAQ

Halloweentown High is the third movie in the Halloweentown series created by the Disney channel. It follows Halloweentown (1998) (1998) and Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001) (2001) and is followed by Return to Halloweentown (2006) (2006). The screenplay was written by screenwriters Paul Bernbaum (who also co-wrote the screenplay for the first Halloweentown movie) and Daniel Berendsen. As in the first two movies, it features Debbie Reynolds as Agatha "Aggie" Cromwell, an expert witch who hails from the magical world of Halloweentown.

Halloweentown exists in an alternate space and time. At one time, the current residents of Halloweentown -- witches, ghosts, and monsters of all sorts -- lived in what they call "the mortal world". Due to the persecution they suffered at the hands of mortals, they left the mortal world and created their own community. Travel between the two worlds was once only possible through a portal that opened only on Halloween. Thanks to Aggie's granddaughter, Marnie Cromwell Piper (Kimberly J. Brown), a new portal was established in Halloweentown II that allows for continuous travel between the two worlds.

It didn't change. Their last name was always Piper, even in the first movie. Cromwell is their mom's maiden name, she being a daughter of Aggie Cromwell. Gwen Cromwell (Judith Hoag) married a man whose last name was Piper. Technically, all three children -- Marnie, Dylan (Joey Zimmerman), and Sophie (Emily Roeske) -- are Cromwell Pipers but, more importantly, they are Cromwell witches.

The main story in Halloweentown High begins on the first day of school, which typically takes place during the first week of September, so it's been approximately ten months. However, there is a short prologue that takes place during the interim in which Marnie is summoned to a Halloweentown council meeting where she is thanked for creating the new portal and where the council members discuss her proposal to allow Halloweentown students to go to school in the mortal world. When the council members appear to be voting down her proposal because they aren't sure that the mortal world will be accepting of them, Marnie bets the Cromwell magic that the mortal world has changed and that mortals *will* be accepting of the differences between the two communities. The council gives Marnie until midnight on Halloween to prove that her proposal will work. What Marnie doesn't count on is the fact that the Knights of the Iron Dagger, a fanatical knighthood wanting to destroy all things magical, is still operating.

Altogether, there were nine Halloweentown students. They included: 1) Pete the werewolf (Todd Michael Schwartzman), 2) Cassie the witch (Eliana Reyes), 3) Ethan the warlock (Lucas Grabeel), 4) Natalie the pink troll (Olesya Rulin), 5) Chester the ogre (Clayton Taylor) and (Jesse Harward), and 6) Bobby the gremlin (Bob Lanoue). Also, there was 7) Nancy the wood nymph, 8) a catgirl, and 9) one other student, all of whom were uncredited.

At long last, it is Halloween, and the school's Halloween Carnival is in full swing. Unfortunately, the mortal students don't seem to like the haunted house created by the Halloweentown students because they find dancing with werewolves, a monster tea party, and ghosts that don't say "Boo!" to be more laughable than scary. Meanwhile, Aggie and Marnie are keeping their eyes open, wondering what is going to happen at midnight. Suddenly, the portal opens, and Edgar Dalloway (Michael Flynn), Ethan's father and the head of the Halloweentown Council, comes through. He animates all the monster dummies, and they start attacking the human students. Aggie casts a spell that dispels the chaos, but Principal Flanagan (Clifton Davis), the last of the Knights of the Iron Dagger, starts shouting to the crowd that the freaks of Halloweentown are trying to destroy everyone. Marnie tries to deny it, but the crowd won't listen. Marnie, Aggie, and the Halloweentown students take refuge in the haunted house, but Dalloway is waiting for them there. He takes away their magic, and both Aggie and Marnie collapse on the floor. The angry mob breaks through the door. Cody (Finn Wittrock) rushes to Marnie's side, and Principal Flanagan helps Aggie up as Dalloway heads back triumphantly to the portal. When he calls Ethan to join him, however, Ethan refuses to go. Dalloway closes the portal behind him. When the crowd cheers the closing of the portal, Cody speaks up to remind them that Marnie has been their friend since kindergarten and that, although people may be different on the outside, they are the same on the inside. In reply, the Halloweentown students remove their human suits, and Principal Flanagan tosses away his Iron Dagger ring. Aggie pulls out her witch's glass, and the portal to Halloweentown suddenly bursts open, ejecting Dalloway. To Ethan's delight, Cassie comes through the portal, having been found and released by Gwen. Aggie and Marnie take back their magic from Dalloway, and the Halloweentown Council tosses him off the bench, imprisoning him in a witch's glass. Halloweentown residents start pouring through the portal, and everyone -- mortals and monsters alike -- celebrates Halloween together. In the final scenes, Dylan and Natalie renew their friendship, Principal Flanagan asks Aggie to stay on at the school, and Marnie takes Cody for a spin on her broom.