Jonas Brothers News

The Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato are headed back to "Camp Rock," but the sequel to last year's top-rated cable telecast will feature a new director and writer, not to mention a plot that borrows from Shakespeare.

"Camp Rock 2 The Final Jam" will begin production this summer and debut next year on Disney Channel.

The characters played by Lovato and Kevin, Nick and Joe Jonas will return to their beloved Camp Rock, only to discover that some of the students and instructors have ditched it for nearby rival Camp Star.

Other major players returning for the sequel include Meaghan Jette Martin, Maria Canals-Barrera and Alyson Stoner. Daniel Fathers is back as Camp Rock's head honcho.

Joining the cast for "Final Jam" are hip-hop artist Matthew "Mdot" Finley and Chloe Bridges, a 17-year-old classical pianist. Mdot plays the reigning hot-shot singer across the lake at Camp Star who challenges Camp Rock to a musical showdown.

The "Romeo and Juliet" moment comes when Camp Rock's Nate (Nick Jonas) falls for Dana (Bridges), the daughter of Camp Star's owner.

Taking over helming duties from the first installment's Matthew Diamond is Paul Hoen, who directed the 2007 Disney Channel movie "Jump In!" The sequel's script was written by Dan Berendsen ("Hannah Montana The Movie") with Karin Gist and Regina Hicks, the duo who wrote "Jump In!" with Doreen Spicer. Gist and Hicks also wrote the first "Camp Rock" with Julie Brown and Paul Brown.

The original "Camp Rock" attracted an audience of 146 million in 160 nations and 30 languages, a huge hit by nearly any standard -- except, maybe, compared with Disney Channel's "High School Musical," seen by 225 million worldwide.

The "Camp Rock" soundtrack has gone platinum in the U.S. and eight other territories and gold in another dozen.

(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)