Wizards of Waverly Place was one of the cozy Disney shows for every kid in the early 2000s. Show alumni Selena Gomez and David Henry bring back the magical world with a new-generation twist. The spin-off series is based on returning star Henry’s character Justin Russo, who is in a similar situation to his father (David DeLuise) in the original sitcom.
The story revolves around the eldest Russo sibling, who has left the magical world and embraced mortality to be with his family. The Same Old Love singer reprized her iconic character Alex Russo in the premiere episode as Justin’s kids’ hilarious wizard aunt.
She introduces him to Billie (Janice Lynn Brown), a magician in training who needs guidance. Now Justin must keep his commitment to keep the Russo family’s magical history a secret from his own family.
The teen star and returning actor, who also executive produces alongside Gomez, opened up about his hopes for the show. “It’s meaningful because the fans have meant so much to me and Selena over the years,” Henry told The Hollywood Reporter.
He said, “I wanted this show to be a big embrace of nostalgia for the original fans and to bring back those values to a whole new generation who missed the original show.”
He expressed his enthusiasm for bringing the show to a new generation of viewers, and Brown’s casting was done with this intention. Henry said that Teen Star was in 2010, and the original show ended in 2011, and so, “It’s an exciting time to engage a brand new audience.”
When Brown was asked about the experience of working on the show, she described it as an “honor”, especially because she was a big fan of the Wizards of Waverly Place film. “The film was my jam. To be a part of something that I held in my heart feels so surreal, like a great blessing,” she said.
The first nine episodes of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place are currently streaming on Disney+. The release date for the remaining 12 episodes of season one has not yet been announced.
