Selena Gomez And David Henrie Tease A Magical Return In “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place”

Selena Gomez and David Henrie are taking fans back to the world of magic with the much-anticipated sequel to Wizards of Waverly Place. The duo, who charmed audiences as siblings Alex and Justin Russo, are reuniting for a new Disney series titled Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

At the Los Angeles premiere of her hit show Only Murders in the Building, Selena, 32, shared her excitement about the new project. “It felt like I was home again,” she told Variety, adding, “I’m so happy I got to bring back this childhood gift that I was given to new little ones out there.”

The nostalgia runs deep for both stars. David, 35, reflected on the surreal experience of working with Selena again. “It was bonkers,” he said. “It was unspoken but we were behind a door and heard, ‘Action,’ we looked at one another and were like, ‘This is crazy.’ It was like a day hadn’t passed in 12 years. We were right back to where we were.”

The new show, announced in May, follows David’s character, Justin Russo, who has settled into life as a mortal, raising his family without magic. That delicate balance is disrupted when Selena’s character, Alex, introduces them to a young wizard with a rebellious streak named Billie, played by Janice LeAnn Brown. Justin takes on the challenge of mentoring the young wizard while juggling his everyday responsibilities and protecting the future of the Wizard World.

Selena is set to appear in the first episode, with both her and David serving as executive producers. The project, as David explained, “came out of a place of love.” 

He revealed that discussions about the characters’ futures had been ongoing for years. “Selena and I and my wife spent so much time over the years drinking wine and talking about where the characters would be, we looked at each other at one point and said, ‘I think we have a show. I think we should go talk to Disney about this.'”

The original Wizards of Waverly Place, which ran from 2007 to 2012, remains a fan favorite, and David acknowledges its lasting impact. “The number one thing Selena gets asked about even till today is Wizards. It’s a show that meant a lot to a lot of people,” he said.

David also shared that he’ll be using his original wand in the new episodes, a keepsake from when the original series ended in 2012. “I was like, I am gonna break this sucker out again,” he laughed.

As for the future of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, Selena is optimistic. “We don’t know, but if people like it, we’ll see,” she said.