Summary
A new behind-the-scenes video has revealed major details about theWizards of Waverly Placesequel showWizards Beyond Waverly Place. The original Disney Channel series followed siblings Justin (David Henrie), Alex (Selena Gomez), and Max Russo (Jake T. Austin) as they learned to channel their wizard powers from their dad, who gave up his own powers to marry their mortal mother. TheupcomingWizards Beyond Waverly Place, which will premiere on Disney Channel and Disney+ in 2024, will center on the grown-up Justin, having given up his wizard powers to pursue a mortal life with his family.
During the Disney Channel premiere ofDescendants: The Rise of Red,Disneyunveiled a behind-the-scenes look atWizards Beyond Waverly Place, which is currently in production. Check it out below:
The video revealsSelena Gomez visiting the set as she prepares to shoot her guest star rolebefore showcasing one of the show’s new stars, Janice LeAnn Brown. A new clip then showcases how Brown’s stubborn and sarcastic character Billie is a perfect analogue for Alex Russo. The rest of the video reveals more about the characters and locations that will be seen throughout the show, both new and familiar.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Has Switched Up The Dynamic (A Little)
The Core Storyline Of The Show Should Still Feel Familiar
Ultimately, what this new behind-the-scenes video reveals is the way thatthe new show is essentially remixing what the original show didwith theWizards of Waverly Placecast. Naturally, this involves finding a replacement for Alex, as the busy Selena Gomez will not be returning as a series regular. However, the clips from the video seem to showcase that the majority of the storylines will revolve around Billie and the younger characters, much in the same way that the original show centered on the Russo siblings, requiring a certain shift in perspective as it relates to the legacy characters.
This impactsSelena Gomez’sWizards of Waverly Placereturn, as her character will have a certain distance from her time as a teenage rebel, shifting her perspective on her previous antics in some way, even if it’s minor. However, this shift in perspective will impact David Henrie’s role even more. While Justin Russo was always more of a rule-follower than his younger siblings,Henrie is now stepping into the position that his character’s father playedin the original show, shaking up the dynamic considerably.
The Russo siblings' father Jerry was played by David DeLuise, who will be reprising his role inWizards Beyond Waverly Place.
WhereWizards Beyond Waverly Placeis making the biggest change is the fact that Justin seems to be discouraging magic in his household entirely. While it seems likely that he will take on the role of teacher and guide to Billie over the course of the season, this is where he differs most from his father at the point when the season begins, which could allow for some interesting narrative wrinkles when she makes her surprise appearance in his seemingly normal family life.
Wizards of Waverly Place
Cast
Released in 2007, Wizards of Waverly Place is a comedy fantasy series created by Todd J. Greenwald for the Disney Channel. The series follows a trio of teenage siblings living in a magical portion of New York City as they train to harness their family’s magical legacy while trying to blend in with everyday people.
