Wizards Beyond Waverly Place

Fifteen years after the events of Wizards of Waverly Place, Justin Russo is living a normal life with his wife and two sons in Staten Island. His sister Alex asks for his help with Billie, a young wizard-in-training. Justin revives his magical skills to mentor Billie while balancing living a normal life and safeguarding the future of the Wizard World. In the second season, with Roman and Milo having also become wizards, Justin is tasked with training all three children in preparation for the upcoming family wizard competition. ==Cast and characters==

Main • Janice LeAnn Brown as Billie, a young wizard sent by Alex to live with Justin so he can train her. In the second-season finale, Billie is revealed to be Alex's daughter. To protect her from her paternal grandfather, Damian and Alex hid Billie at WizTech and erased all memory of her existence. Her memories are later restored through a magical locket kept by Alex. • Alkaio Thiele as Roman Russo, Justin and Giada's elder son, Milo's older brother, and Billie's cousin • Taylor Cora as Winter, Billie and Roman's best friend • Mimi Gianopulos as Giada Russo, Justin's mortal wife, Roman and Milo's mother, and Billie's aunt. She works as an investigative reporter for WOWP News. Recurring • Selena Gomez as Alex Russo, Justin's younger sister, Roman and Milo's aunt, the Russo Family Wizard, and a member of the Wizard Tribunal. In the second-season finale, Alex is revealed to be Billie's mother, having given birth to her with Damian, the reformed son of Lord Morsus. During the final battle, Alex sacrifices herself by leaping into a portal with Lord Morsus, which can only be sealed from the other side. • Kirsten Vangsness as Minister Bigelow McFigglehorn, a member of the Wizard Tribunal who later falls under Lord Morsus' control • Patrick Bristow as Wizardpedia / Wiz M.D., magical holographic sources of wizarding knowledge accessed through enchanted books in the Russo family's wizard lair • Eleanor Sweeney as Bella Bianchi (season 1; guest season 2), Justin's neighbor, who frequently feuds with Milo • Tobias Jelinek as Lord Morsus / Nicodemus Pennwolf (season 2), Justin and Alex's mother, and the grandmother of Roman, Milo, and Billie • David DeLuise as Jerry Russo (season 1), Justin and Alex's father and the grandfather of Roman, Milo, and Billie, who volunteers at the Spellp-Line • Sarrie Thompson as Iggy (season 1), a pixie and Roman's former love interest • Oscar Montoya as Marcus (season 1), Justin's assistant at Greenwald Middle School • Freya Skye as Piper (season 2), an oracle who receives visions and sketches the future • Bill Chott as Mr. Laritate (season 2), the retired principal of Tribeca Prep • Sean Whalen as Mantooth (season 2), a ghost who haunted Justin during his teenage years • Amanda Tepe as Monotone Woman (season 2), a former New York City employee now working as a mall security guard • Harvey Guillén as Gossip Stone (season 2), a sentient bust with knowledge of Billie's parentage • Gregg Sulkin as Mason Greyback (season 3) • Jennifer Stone as Harper Finkle (season 3) ==Episodes==

Series overview Season 1 (2024–25) Season 2 (2025) Season 3 ==Production==

Development On January 18, 2024, it was announced that Disney had ordered a pilot for a sequel television series of Wizards of Waverly Place. Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, who developed ''Raven's Home, the sequel to That's So Raven'', wrote the pilot episode. It was directed by Andy Fickman. Elinoff, Thomas, and Fickman executive produce the series alongside stars Selena Gomez and David Henrie, as well as Gary Marsh, a former television executive, and Jonas Agin. The pilot was filmed on February 1, 2024, with Gomez guest starring and reprising her role as Alex Russo. In the series, Henrie's character is set to have given up his wizard powers to live like a normal human. On March 22, 2024, it was announced that Disney Channel had ordered the pilot to series. Production began in Los Angeles in April 2024. Wizards was used as the working title during early filming until its official title, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, was announced in May 2024. Raven-Symoné and Danielle Fishel directed episodes. The first season consists of 21 episodes. On March 31, 2025, the series was renewed for a second season. On April 2, 2026, it was reported that the 4-episode third and final season is scheduled to premiere this summer, with Gomez making her directorial debut for the first episode of the season. Casting David Henrie reprises his role as Justin Russo, while Selena Gomez guest-stars as Alex Russo. Mimi Gianopulos was cast to portray Giada, Justin's wife, and Alkaio Thiele plays their elder son Roman. Additionally, Janice LeAnn Brown stars as Billie, a young wizard seeking Justin's assistance in wizard training. At the time it was ordered to series, it was reported that Max Matenko was cast as Milo, Justin's younger son. Taylor Cora also appears as Winter, Billie and Roman's best friend. It was later announced that David DeLuise would reprise his role as Justin and Alex's father Jerry. In April 2026, it was reported that Gregg Sulkin and Jennifer Stone are set to guest star, reprising their roles as Mason Greyback and Harper Finkle for the final season, respectively. ==Release==

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 series premiered on October 29, 2024, on Disney Channel. The first nine episodes became available to stream on Disney+ the following day, with episodes 3–9 being released prior to their televised premieres. Episodes 10–21 were released on Disney+ on February 28, 2025, with episode 21 being released prior to its televised premiere. == Reception ==

Critical response The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 89% approval rating with an average rating of 7.7/10, based on 9 critic reviews. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 78 out of 100 based on 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". 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. Tinubu found the enhanced special effects and comedic timing of the child actors particularly impressive. She stated that the series retains the charm of the original, with its focus on family and magic, while introducing new adventures. She appreciated the show's lively and fun atmosphere, saying it appeals to both longtime fans and newcomers. Joel Keller of Decider noted that Wizards Beyond Waverly Place captures the silliness and family vibe of the original show, but observed a difference in Selena Gomez's performance. He praised her more subtle comedic timing, saying it may be influenced by her work on Only Murders in the Building, contrasting with the more exaggerated sitcom-like acting from the rest of the cast. Keller appreciated her nuanced portrayal of Alex Russo, balancing the childlike antics around her. He also highlighted the show's focus on Billie's integration into the mortal world and the return of original cast members, expecting the series to appeal to both nostalgic fans and new younger audiences. Abigail Stevens of Screen Rant found Wizards Beyond Waverly Place to be a funny and heartwarming sequel that successfully captures the essence of its predecessor. She praised David Henrie and Selena Gomez for reprising their roles, noting their strong dynamic, while complimenting the performances of the new cast members. Stevens appreciated how the show mirrors the original family structure without feeling like a direct copy, maintaining unique characterizations. She stated that the series introduces darker emotional storylines, hinting at deeper themes of family and self-worth. Ashley Moulton of Common Sense Media rated Wizards Beyond Waverly Place four out of five stars. She complimented the show's comedic tone and found the moderate scariness of the wizards' encounters with monsters to be lighthearted and not overly alarming. Moulton appreciated the positive messages about perseverance and self-belief, while noting that the main character Billie is a complex role model, showing both rebelliousness and personal growth. She also found Justin Russo to be a good role model, while the relationship between brothers Milo and Roman was seen as affectionate despite typical sibling rivalry. Ratings Wizards Beyond Waverly Place debuted with 3.2 million views globally in its first 12 days on Disney+, making it the most-watched series premiere on the platform for Disney Channel. 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. The release of the full first episode on YouTube attracted 1.1 million views, marking the channel's best performance for a new full episode since 2017. Social media activity generated over 125 million impressions and 13 million engagements on platforms including Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. |2}} }} Accolades ==In other media==

On August 12, 2025, it was announced that Janice LeAnn Brown would reprise her role as Billie in the Disney Channel series Vampirina: Teenage Vampire in a crossover episode titled "First Heartbeat," which premiered on October 24, 2025. ==Notes==