Summary
- Selena Gomez and David Henrie will reprise their roles in a Disney Channel sequel of Wizards of Waverly Place. Gomez will guest star in the pilot episode, while Henrie will be a series regular.
- The sequel pilot will focus on an adult Justin who left wizardry behind for a normal life, but is forced to confront his past when a young wizard in need of training arrives at his door.
- Both Gomez and Henrie are also executive producers of the project. Henrie has also found success in How I Met Your Mother and film roles, while Gomez has released successful albums, expanded her acting career, and is currently starring in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building.
Wizards of Waverly Place co-stars Selena Gomez and David Henrie are set to reprise their roles for a Disney Channel sequel. According to Deadline, Gomez will guest star in the pilot episode, while Henrie will appear as a series regular. Both are also tied to the project as executive producers.
The original Wizards of Waverly Place ran for four seasons from 2007 to 2012. The Disney Channel sitcom followed the Russo siblings, Alex (Gomez), Justin (Henrie), and Max (Jake T. Austin), who must hone in and perfect their powers to compete for the title of next family wizard. The series centered on Gomez’s Alex, as she navigated her teenage years while concealing her magical powers. Jennifer Stone, Maria Canals-Barrera and David DeLuise also starred in the sitcom, which won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children’s Program. A television special, The Wizards Return: Alex Vs. Alex, aired in 2013.
According to the sequel pilot’s synopsis, the upcoming reboot begins at WizTech with an adult Justin who left wizardry behind for a normal life with his wife. But Justin’s choice meets a surprising turn when a young wizard in need of training arrives at his door. Russo is forced to face his past and look forward after trying to put his wizard powers behind him.
Along with Henrie, the cast includes Janice LeAnn Brown as Billie, the young wizard, Alkaio Thiele as Justin’s eldest son, Roman Russo, and Mimi Gianopulos as Justin’s wife, Giada.
The sequel pilot was written by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas (who also collaborated on the That’s So Raven spinoff Raven’s Home). Elilnoff and Thomas also executive produce alongside Gary Marsh and Andy Fickman. Fickman is set to direct.
Related: Lizzie McGuire Reboot Writer Shares Plot Details From Scrapped Series
Selena Gomez and David Henrie Share News of Wizards of Waverly Place’s Return
Disney Channel
Gomez and Henrie both confirmed news of Wizards of Waverly Place sequel series via social media. On an Instagram story, Gomez shared a picture of herself and Henrie from the original series, captioned, “We’re back.” Over on TikTok, Henrie shared a video with scenes from the original show and a picture of the pilot script.
After starring in Wizards of Waverly Place, Henrie went on to star in another hit series: How I Met Your Mother, where he portrayed Ted Mosby’s future son, Luke. He also starred in several films, including Little Boy and Walt Before Mickey.
Gomez’s career was catapulted by Wizards of Waverly Place. She released multiple successful albums, and continued expanding her acting career. She currently stars in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building alongside comedy legends Steve Martin and Martin Short. She has earned Critics Choice, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations (among others) for her portrayal of Mabel Mora. Gomez also hosts and executive produces HB Max’s Selena + Chef, where she is taught how to cook different meals by a weekly guest chef. The series, which launched during the Covid-19 pandemic, highlights a different charity each episode.
Gomez was the focus of the Alek Keshishian-directed documentary Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me. The film followed Gomez through 6 years of her life, and captured her dealing with her bipolar disorder diagnosis and lupus.
The original Wizards of Waverly Place is streaming on Disney+.
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