Everything is just as it seems now that the sequel series to Wizards of Waverly Place is launching.
The beloved Disney Channel sitcom made a magical impact on viewers and is now getting a reboot in this era of sequels, prequels, and reboots! Wizards Beyond Waverly Place will follow Justin Russo, reprised by David Henrie, as he navigates his human life outside the wizarding world alongside a brand-new cast. Fans will also be thrilled to see a familiar face in the pilot episode: Selena Gomez‘s Alex Russo!
On January 26, 2024, David DeLuise and Henrie, who played father and son in the original series, shared a group photo on Instagram with Gomez and fellow co-star Maria Canals-Barrera. “The Russos ❤️ coming back,” they captioned the post. Jake T. Austin also joined in by reposting his former co-stars’ updates to his Instagram Story.
To learn more about the release date, cast, plot, and other details of the sequel, keep reading!
When Does Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Premiere?
The first two episodes of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place will premiere on Disney Channel on October 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET, with Disney+ streaming the first eight episodes starting October 30. According to multiple outlets, Raven’s Home star Raven-Symoné and Boy Meets World alum Danielle Fishel will be directing episodes in Season 1.
The original series aired from 2007 to 2012.
Who’s in the Cast?
In addition to Selena Gomez, who will make a cameo in the pilot episode, the reboot also welcomes back her TV brother, David Henrie. New talent includes Taylor Cora (Winter), Mimi Gianopulos (Giada Russo), Janice LeAnn Brown (Billie), Max Matenko (Milo Russo), and Alkaio Thiele (Roman Russo).
All of the new faces joined Gomez at the world premiere of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday.
The original series starred Jake T. Austin as Max, David DeLuise as Jerry, Jennifer Stone as Harper, and Maria Canals-Barrera as Theresa. Other stars included Gregg Sulkin as Alex’s boyfriend, Mason, and Bridgit Mendler as Justin’s girlfriend, Juliet.
What Is the Plot of the Sequel?
The new series will show Justin Russo living a normal life away from the Wizard World. Following a mysterious incident at WizardTech, a powerful young wizard named Billie needs training and seeks Justin’s help. However, the now-adult Justin is living life as a human with his wife and kids. Now, he has to revisit his past in order to help the new wizard learn the ropes.
When Jimmy Kimmel asked Gomez about the “reboot” in a February 2024 interview, she explained that he wasn’t using the right terminology for the show. “It’s not a reboot. It’s gonna be a different version, I guess,” she said. “It’s gonna be really fun. I was excited to bring the characters back.”
Why Did Wizards of Waverly Place End?
Wizards of Waverly Place’s final episode aired in January 2012. The series reportedly ended to allow Gomez to pursue different acting roles, though she has never publicly confirmed this rumor. A year after the show concluded, the cast reunited for a TV movie sequel titled The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex.
In 2023, Stone revealed during an episode of her and Henrie’s podcast, Wizards of Waverly Pod, that Gomez turned down the opportunity in an “Alex-Harper spinoff” because of her hectic schedule.
“Now, I don’t know how true this is, but I was told it was pitched to Selena — and I’ll have to ask her this because I’ve actually never asked her this — But I was told that it was pitched to Selena to do a Harper-Alex spinoff,” Stone said. “She said ‘no’ because she had a lot of other things going on.”