Disney Channel’s latest original movie, Zombies, drew 2.7 million viewers in its Feb. 16 premiere, the network said Tuesday.

The movie, which follows the exploits of zombie students who transfer to a human, suburban high school, also drew 1.14 million viewers in the kids 6-11 demo and 752,000 viewers among girls 6-11 – the most viewers for any show in both demos since the July 2017 debut of Disney’s Descendants 2 original film, said network officials.

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Zombies also topped NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage among the both kids' demos for the night, said Disney.

Overall, Zombies reached 10.3 million over eight telecasts during the President’s Day weekend.

Disney Channel’s Decendants 2 ascended to 21 million viewers in Nielsen Live+3ratings, the network reported Wednesday.

The July 21 premiere of the movie, a sequel to Disney’s hit 2015 film, has now reached 8.1 million kids 2-14 and 6.9 million adults 18-49, said network officials.

Descendants 2, which stars Dove Cameron and China Anne McClain, aired simultaneously on Disney Channel, Disney XD, Freeform, Lifetime and Lifetime Movies during its July 21 premiere and drew 13 million viewers across the six networks.

The film garnered 5.3 million viewers in its premiere on Disney Channel, according to Nielsen.

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RELATED: 'Descendants 2' director Kenny Ortega discusses TV musicals 

Friday night's premiere of Disney Channel’s original movie Descendants 2 averaged 13 million viewers across six network airings, according to Nielsen.

The audience for the July 21 premiere of Descendants 2, a sequel to the Disney’s 2015 musical themed movie, represented combined viewers from simultaneous airings of the movie on Disney Channel, Lifetime, Lifetime Movies, ABC, Disney XD and Freeform, said Disney. 

On Disney Channel, Descendants 2 drew 5.3 million viewers, the most watched telecast on the network since Descendants garnered 6.6 million viewers in its July 2015 premiere, according to Nielsen. Descendants 2, which stars Dove Cameron and China Anne McClain, also drew two year highs for the network in kids 2-11 (2.2 million viewers), kids 6-11 (1.8 million) and tweens 9-14 (1.9 million viewers.

Descendants 2 also broke social media records for Disney Channel driving more Video Views (174.1 million), Impressions (90.8 million) and Engagements (14.6 million) than any social campaign in the network's history, reported Disney. 

Director/choreographer Kenny Ortega has teamed with Disney Channel over the past decade to create some of the most successful cable original movies of all time including the High School Musical franchise, The Cheetah Girls2, and most recently, the network’s Descendants and Descendants 2.

I had a chance to sit down with Ortega --who also directed the record-setting 2009 concert film Michael Jackson’s This Is It as well as choreographed such events as the 1996 Summer Olympics and Super Bowl XXX -- to talk about his illustrious career as well as to discuss the future of musicals on television. An edited version of the interview appears below.

You have directed a number of Disney Channel movies throughout the years.  What is it about these movies that appeal to you?

I get to do what I’ve always wanted to do, which is tell stories that are driven with music and dance. I love the genre and I love working with family stories and with young people -- not that I don’t enjoy working with mature actors.  In our first [Descendants] movie, we had the incredible Kristin Chenoweth, Kathy Najimy and Wendy Raquel Robinson.  I always dreamed that I would be working in musicals, and Disney Channel has provided that opportunity for me.

Kenny Ortega and co-star China Anne McClain
discuss Disney Channel's 'Descendants 2'

Disney Channel is one of the few networks that produce musical movies.  Why don’t we see more music-themed content on tv?

Disney found an audience -- and I think network television has found an audience -- for musical television, which is fantastic.  I’m a big fan of the live television musicals because I know what it takes to put on a musical. I come from the theatre, so when I’m watching them, I have an appreciation for all the technical aspects that make it all happen. So, for me, I think it’s thrilling and challenging. But television began with live programming; all of it was live.  There were no such thing as pre-taped shows – live interview and music was one of the first inhabitants of television.  I think what Disney and the networks are doing is a return to the beginnings of what made television so special.  Disney Channel -- not only with High School Musical but with The Cheetah Girls & Camp Rock, and artists like Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Selina Gomez -- and even before that with Brittany (Spears) -- has found a young, family audience that really enjoys music storytelling that can suspend their disbelief.  I think adults have a little more of an issue with being able to suspend their disbelief of a story suddenly breaking into song.

What has been your biggest accomplishment to date?

I have alot of projects I'm proud of, but I think the biggest accomplishment for me was something that I wasn’t in charge of -- its something that to this day I still can’t quite figure out why or how it happened.  That’s being able to work with great people that have enabled my career -- Gene Kelly, Michael Jackson, Francis Ford Coppola, John Hughes and so many other people that I’ve worked with and met along my journey. I’ve been a very fortunate person to have come into the company of such incredible artists that have enlightened me, taught me, mentored me and coached me. I’ve been in theatre; I’ve worked sporting events; I’ve been able to work in concerts obviously with Michael (Jackson) and other artists; I’ve been able to work in television; I’ve been able to work in feature films and I’m producing a record right now.  So, I’ve been really, really fortunate that my life has enabled me to play in a number of different fields.

The July 21 premiere of Disney Channel’s Descendants 2 original movie will be simulcast across five networks, Disney announced Tuesday.

The movie, a sequel to the network’s 2015 Descendants film, will also appear on each network's branded digital and on demand platforms, according to network officials. The networks are: Disney Channel, ABC, Freeform, Disney XD and Lifetime.

The original Descendants, which follows the exploits of the teenage sons and daughters of Disney’s most infamous villains, generated 12.2 million viewers -- the fifth most watched movie in cable TV history. Descendants stars Dove Cameron, Cameron Boyce, Sofia Carson and Booboo Stewart will reprise their lead roles in the sequel, with newcomers China Anne McClain, Thomas Doherty and Dylan Playfair joining the cast for the sequel.

"The passion that fans – across every demographic and geographic landscape – have demonstrated for Descendants rivals anything we've seen since High School Musical, said Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer for Disney Channel Worldwide in a statement. “Sharing the new sequel movie across our far-reaching portfolio of TV networks and digital platforms is something only Disney can do – and we do it proudly."