The Wizards of Waverly Place revival is officially brewing up some magic, and it’s got a fancy new name: Wizards Beyond Waverly Place! Yes, that’s right—just when you thought you’d said your final goodbye to the Russo family, Disney has thrown a glitter bomb of nostalgia right at your face.
You’re not dreaming—this beloved series, which ran from 2007 to 2012, delivering over 100 episodes of magical shenanigans, is coming back to a screen near you. And the best part? You don’t even have to wait for a full moon! The first eight episodes will be landing on Disney+ and Disney Channel On Demand on Wednesday, October 30, so mark your calendars and set your DVRs—or whatever people use these days, time-turners maybe?
First Look: Selena Gomez—The Return-ish!
So, hold your broomsticks: Selena Gomez is coming back! Kinda. Sorta. Maybe don’t get too excited. Our favorite sassy wizard-in-training, Alex Russo, will make a guest appearance in the pilot. That’s right, Selena is just swooping in like a magical cameo and then disappearing faster than a puff of wizard smoke. Maybe she’s off making music, or casting spells on Instagram—who knows?
David Henrie—He’s Back, Baby!
Guess who else is back? That’s right, David Henrie! The OG wizard nerd himself, Justin Russo, is back to cast some spells, drop some knowledge, and probably lecture everyone about magic safety. You know Justin’s gonna be out here making sure no one messes with the spell book, again. He’s still the co-lead of the show, so you can bet your wand he’s going to get plenty of screen time to prove once again he’s the most responsible Russo—yawn.
Mom and Dad are Back—Parents of the Year (Kind Of)
You didn’t think you’d get through a reboot without the Russo parental unit, did you? Maria Canals-Barrera is back as Theresa Russo, everyone’s favorite non-magical mom who somehow survives living with an entire family of wizards. No, really, how is she still sane? And David DeLuise returns as Jerry Russo, the dad who’s probably still making terrible dad jokes and waving his magical license in everyone’s face like a mid-life crisis on a broomstick.
New Faces, New Magic
But it’s not just a reunion tour—there are some new spellcasters in town! Enter Mimi Gianopulos as Giada, a.k.a. Justin’s wife. That’s right, Justin Russo got married! How much you wanna bet there’s a “honey, I accidentally shrunk the kids” situation at some point?
And then we’ve got Janice LeAnn Brown, who’s stepping into the magical mess as Billie, a young wizard with serious power and a friendship with Justin. You know what that means: she’s probably the next person to ignore every rule of magic in existence and cause chaos. But hey, that’s what makes it fun, right?
Alkaio Thiele is joining as Roman Russo, Justin’s eldest son, which means there’s probably a “next-gen wizard” subplot coming. Fingers crossed for even more magical mishaps and family drama!
But Wait, No Zeke?
In a plot twist that no one saw coming (except, well, maybe everyone), Dan Benson, who played Zeke Beakerman, is not coming back. Why? Oh, just a little thing called “life choices.” Apparently, Dan dipped into the adult content creation biz, and let’s just say Disney wasn’t exactly eager to mix potions with that kind of magic. Dan admitted to TMZ that, yep, his side hustle pretty much guaranteed his character wouldn’t be returning to the spellbook. Oops!
Dan, ever the realist, said even if Disney threw him a crystal ball and asked him to come back, he’d pass. He’s moving on to bigger, um, and different things. His career might have taken a few unexpected turns, but hey, life’s a rollercoaster—especially when you’re a former Disney star turned adult content creator.
So grab your wands, your popcorn, and get ready for a mix of magic, nostalgia, and maybe some awkward family dynamics. Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is coming soon, and it’s gonna be one wild broom ride!
