Kaitlyn McNab, Sara Delgado
·5 min read
Disney/Eric McCandless
Selena Gomezis ready to return to her Disney days, and she has major updates to share about the upcoming Wizards of Waverly Place sequel series.
At the ABC and Disney Upfronts event on May 14 in New York City, Gomez took the stage to reveal the official title of the spinoff and a true first look at the series. "Sometimes, something magical happens when you do get to go home again," Gomez said during her presentation, sharing that the revival will be titled Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.
The originalWizards of Waverly Placeaired from 2007 to 2012 on the Disney Channel, and over the past few years, nostalgia surrounding the series has been at an all-time high; Gomez even took a trip to the actualWaverlyPlacestreet in 2022.
Related:Selena Gomez Has a Major Regret About Wizards of Waverly Place
Could news of a sequel series be more magically timed? Gomez and her former costar David Henrie will both serve as executive producers on the new show; Gomez will be a guest star while Henrie fully reprises his role as Justin Russo, who is now the focus. Shortly after news of the sequel pilot broke in January 2024, Gomez took to social media to share her excitement. “So excited!!" she wrote on an Instagram story sharing an article from Deadline about the series. “WE'RE BACK,” she added on a second one, sharing an old photo of herself and Henrie in character.
Below, find out everything we know so far about Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, including new and returning cast members, release date, plot details, trailer, first look photos, and more.
What is Wizards Beyond Waverly Place going to be about?
According to Disney's official synopsis of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, the new series “follows an adult Justin Russo, who has chosen to lead a normal, mortal life with his family, Giada, Roman and Milo. When Justin’s sister Alex brings Billie to his home seeking help, Justin realizes he must dust off his magical skills to mentor the wizard-in-training while also juggling his everyday responsibilities — and safeguarding the future of the Wizard World.”
Disney previously shared a first-look photo of the series (check it out here) in March, but the network has now shared two more photos alongside the title announcement: one of Alex and Justin standing in the Russo family lair with their wands out and a photo of the new main cast sitting around a dinner table with a 34th birthday cake in front of Justin.
The pilot for Wizards Beyond Waverly Place will be written and executive produced by Disney Channel alums Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, who were also part ofRaven's Home,another successful revival spinoff from Disney. As previously mentioned, both Gomez and Henrie will serve as executive producers for the sequel alongside Elinoff and Thomas,Descendants: The Rise of Red'sGary Marsh, and director Andy Fickman.
Back in February 2024, Gomez declared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that the sequel series is not a reboot. “It’s gonna be really fun. I was excited to bring the characters back,” Gomez told the late-night host then. “It’s not a reboot. It’s gonna be a different version, I guess, so I'm excited for you guys to see it." Gomez also affirmed that there will be enough magic and wizards to satisfy new and old audiences, affirming to Kimmel: “I am the family wizard.”
Who is in the cast of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place?
While the new series will see the Russo siblings reunitedonce again, don't expect to see too much of Alex in future episodes as the series moves ahead — while David Henrie is returning in full capacity as Justin, Selena Gomez is, so far, only listed as a guest star in the show's pilot episode.
Apart from Alex and Justin, the main cast will be led by young actor Janice LeAnn Brown, who plays Billie. (Fun fact: in 2019, Brown portrayed child versions of Zendaya's character Rue in Euphoria season 1.) Newcomer Taylor Cora will play Winter, Billie's “bubbly, quirky, and oversharing best friend.” Mimi Gianopulos plays Justin's wife Giada, and Alkaio Thiele and Max Matenko play Justin's children Roman and Milo, respectively.
When is Wizards Beyond Waverly Place coming out?
Disney has confirmed that the series is slated to premiere on Disney Channel and Disney+ later this year. In January 2024, David Henrie made a grid post on Instagram to celebrate the show's announcement, sharing a sneak peek of the pilot episode script. “The Russo’s are excited to become a part of your family, once again, but we’ve grown 😊,” Henrie wrote in his caption. “2024, the year magic comes back! 🪄.”
Is there a trailer for Wizards Beyond Waverly Place?
There is no trailer for Wizards Beyond Waverly Place just yet, but with the series set to arrive in late 2024, it's bound to come soon. While there is no trailer, Disney did unveil a first-look in-production teaser during the Disney Channel premiere of Descendants: The Rise of Red' on August 9, 2024.
The teaser features behind-the-scenes moments with the main cast, including David Henrie and Janice LeAnn Brown, as well as as Selena Gomez. David DeLuise, known as the Russo family patriarch, Jerry Russo, also makes a cameo as he is set to return as a guest star, much like Selena Gomez. You can watch the video below:
This story will continue to be updated as news about Wizards Beyond Waverly Place breaks.
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
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