Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: A Magical Reunion

Trailer and Premiere Details

The doors are open to the Russo house once again as Disney has released the first trailer for Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. With just over a month until siblings Alex and Justin, played by Selena Gomez and David Henrie respectively, return to the Disney Channel for the first time together since the original series ended in 2012, the footage is a sneak peek at their reunion and an introduction to the newest wizard with whom the fate of the world rests – Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown). When Alex brings the powerful youngster to her brother asking him to take her on as his pupil, he’s forced to warm up the old magic skills and show her everything he learned. The only problem is that he has to juggle life as a father and husband, which will push him to his limits.

The Story So Far

Before Alex and Justin reappear, we first see Billie appearing through a mirror, showing off her impressive talent as a wizard-in-training. Unfortunately for Justin, she’s also quite the handful, with Alex describing her as “rebellious and stubborn” with abilities she can’t fully control. Despite his fears about this new responsibility and his desire to live a normal life, Justin is also a little excited to get back to what he and Alex used to do best. It doesn’t sit entirely well with his wife Giada (Mimi Gianopulos), as their kids get roped into the magic hijinks, but Justin takes responsibility to coach Billie into a mature wizard who doesn’t just cast with reckless abandon. He’s there to encourage her even when she makes mistakes, help her comprehend the mysteries of magic, however weird they may be, and defend her when threats inevitably come for them.

The Cast and Crew

Though Alex features heavily in the trailer, Gomez will merely be a guest star for the pilot before stepping back as an executive producer. In her absence though, Justin’s new family will step up big time to make Billie feel welcome. Henrie and Gianopulos are joined by Alkaio Thiele and Max Matenko as their kids, Roman and Milo Russo, while Taylor Cora will appear as Billie’s best friend, Winter. Henrie also announced that David DeLuise, who played Alex, Justin, and Max’s (Jake T. Austin) father Jerry, will appear in the new series in some capacity, perhaps to give some advice to his son or meet with his grandchildren.

Who Helped Conjure ‘Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’?

Gomez and Henrie spent years preparing for a return to Waverly Place in some form and their work is closer than ever to finally paying off. The ultimate result is something that Gomez said felt “like home,” bringing the magic to a new generation of young viewers. In addition to the on-screen siblings, the creative team also features Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas as writers and executive producers opposite Gary Marsh and Jonas Agin. Andy Fickman, who previously directed the Dwayne Johnson Disney flick Race to Witch Mountain, helmed multiple episodes of the sequel series, including the pilot.

Conclusion

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place premieres with two episodes on October 29 on the Disney Channel. The first nine episodes will follow on October 30 on Disney+. Check out the trailer in the player above.

Image via Disney