THE FUTURE of a rebooted hit teen series has been revealed after it returned to our screens last year.
Wizards of Waverly Place launched on Disney Channel in 2007 – making lead Selena Gomez into a star.
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More than a decade after the 2012 finale, the beloved Russo family returned for more magical mayhem and misadventures in a new spin off sequel.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place followed an adult Justin Russo, living a normal life with his wife and two sons in Staten Island until his sister Alex asked for help with a young wizard-in-training named Billie.
He revived his magical skills in order to mentor the young girl while balancing living a normal life and safeguarding the future of the Wizard World.
After the success of its first season, it has been revealed that the show has been renewed for a second season and will go into production in Los Angeles in April.
The comedy television series developed by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, is a spinoff and sequel to Wizards of Waverly Place.
The first season premiered on October last year, on Disney Channel and is based on characters created by Todd J. Greenwald.
The series stars Janice LeAnn Brown, Alkaio Thiele, Max Matenko, Taylor Cora, Mimi Gianopulos, and David Henrie.
Executive producer and series star David Henrie said in a statement: “I’m overwhelmed by all the love for the series and ready to keep serving this new generation of ‘Wizards’ fans with more Russo magic, while continuing to deliver a big warm hug to the original fan!
“So many surprises in store for this second season – It’s going to be big, so stay tuned!”
The first episode became Disney Channel‘s most-watched series premiere ever on Disney+ with 3.2M global views in the first 12 days.
While the trailer for Wizards Beyond Waverly Place amassed 69 million viewers in 10 days across all social media platforms. It became Disney Channel’s most-watched trailer for a comedy series of all time.
The show ranked as the top streaming series in the U.S. among Kids 6—11, Girls 6—11, Teens, and Adults 18—24 during its first five days.
“Wizards Beyond Waverly Place has reintroduced the magic of the Russo family to a new generation, resonating with audiences across platforms,” Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television, said in a statement.
“Its standout debut reflects the enduring appeal and relevance of this beloved franchise – and the creativity and talent driving this new chapter.”
The first eight episodes debuted simultaneously on Disney+, one day after the first episode aired on Disney Channel.
Disney also placed the entire first episode on YouTube in hopes of reaching that younger audience, and it attracted 1.1 million views, marking the channel’s best performance for a new full episode since 2017.
In order to engage even more young audiences — Disney released the finale of Wizards of Waverly Place on TikTok where it gained nearly 11M views.
Speaking of the show – critic Aramide Tinubu of Variety said Wizards Beyond Waverly Place successfully blends nostalgia with fresh content.
She praised the performances of both returning cast members like David Henrie and Selena Gomez, and newcomers such as Janice LeAnn Brown, Alkaio Thiele, and Max Matenko.
She stated that the series retains the charm of the original, with its focus on family and magic, while introducing new adventures, saying it appeals to both long time fans and newcomers.
The first season is available to stream on Disney+.
