Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Sets October Premiere Date at Disney Channel and Disney+
Sitcomus rebootus! Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, a continuation of the classic sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place, is not only happening at Disney Channel and Disney+, but it’s now just a few weeks away.
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Wizards Beyond Waverly Place will have a two-episode linear debut on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 8/7c on Disney Channel, the network announced Thursday. The following day — Wednesday, Oct. 30 — two more episodes will air on Disney Channel, with subsequent episodes then airing on Fridays at 8 pm beginning Nov. 8.
If you prefer to binge-watch, though, the first eight episodes of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place will be available to watch on Disney+ and Disney Channel On Demand as of Oct. 30.
Disney Channel previously released behind-the-scenes footage from Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, which you can watch above.
The original Wizards, which aired from 2007 to 2012, starred Selena Gomez and David Henrie as Alex and Justin Russo, polar-opposite siblings competing for the title of family wizard. (Per the show’s lore, only one child from each magical family gets to keep their powers into adulthood.) The series also starred Jake T. Austin as Alex and Justin’s younger brother Max, Jennifer Stone as Alex’s BFF Harper, and David DeLuise and Maria Canals-Barrera as the heads of the Russo household.
Beyond Waverly Place picks up 12 years later, with Justin (who did not win the contest) raising his children in a magic-free world… until Alex shows up with a special request that set Justin’s family on an entirely new — and extremely magical — path.
So, what can we expect from this new series? And which familiar faces might longtime fans encounter? Read on for a breakdown of everything we know about Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, then drop a comment with your thoughts. Will you be dropping in for a spell?
Who Is Starring on Wizards Beyond Waverly Place?
In addition to Henrie returning as Justin Russo, the new Wizards series also stars Mimi Gianopulos as his wife Giada, Alkaio Thiele as their older son Roman, Max Matenko as their younger son Milo, Janice LeAnn Brown as a young wizard name Billie, and Taylor Cora as Billie’s BFF Winter.
What Role Will Selena Gomez Have on Wizards Beyond Waverly Place?
Despite being on board as an executive-producer, along with Henrie, Gomez is currently only confirmed to guest-star as Alex in the series premiere. She could make additional appearances down the line, but she will not be a regular cast member.
Are Other Original Wizards of Waverly Place Cast Members Returning?
Aside from Henrie and Gomez, the only original cast member confirmed to be guest-starring on Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is David DeLuise as Russo family patriarch/sandwich king Jerry.
Jake T. Austin (Max), Jennifer Stone (Harper) and Maria Canals-Barrera (Theresa) all remain question marks.
What Is Wizards Beyond Waverly Place About?
Sure, we all have general idea of what a Wizards continuation might look like, but here are the specifics: According to Disney, Justin “has chosen to lead a normal, mortal life with his family,” but all of that changes when “Alex brings Billie to his home seeking help.” This leads Justin to “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.” Oh, Justin, always such an overcachiever.
Where Can I Watch the Original Wizards of Waverly Place?
If you’ve never seen the original Wizards series, or you’re just looking to refresh your memory ahead of the revival, all four seasons (106 total episodes) are currently available to stream on Disney+, along with the 2009 film Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie and the 2013 special The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex.
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