Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is an American comedy television series developed by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas. A sequel to Wizards of Waverly Place, the series aired on Disney Channel from October 29, 2024, to August 4, 2026. It is based on characters created by Todd J. Greenwald and stars Janice LeAnn Brown, Alkaio Thiele, Max Matenko, Taylor Cora, Mimi Gianopulos, and David Henrie.
Elinoff and Thomas served as executive producers alongside Selena Gomez, Henrie, Gary Marsh, Jonas Agin, Rick Williams, and Andy Fickman.
Contents
Premise
Fifteen years after the events of Wizards of Waverly Place, Justin Russo lives a normal life on Staten Island with his wife Giada and two sons Roman and Milo. He has given up his magic and left the Wizard World behind. His life changes when Alex introduces him to Billie, a young wizard who needs training. Justin agrees to mentor her, forcing him to return to the magical world while trying to balance his new responsibilities with his family life.
In season 2, Roman and Milo also become wizards and they and Billie must begin training for the Family Wizard Competion. The Russo family also has a new enemy. Nicodemus Penwulf "Lord Morsus". A dangerous black wizard who is secretly Billie's paternal grandfather, who's son Damien betrayed him for Alex. To seal the rift, Alex sacrifies herself and jumps through the rift.
In season 3, Alex is trapped in a world with Lord Morsus while Billie tries to locate her father, Damien Penwulf, in Wizcatraz, the most secure prison in the Wizard World
Cast and characters
Main
Janice LeAnn Brown as Billie Russo-Penwulf, 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, Damien 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 older son, Milo's older brother, and Billie's cousin
Max Matenko as Milo Russo, Justin and Giada's younger son, Roman's younger 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.
David Henrie as Justin Russo, Giada's husband, Roman and Milo's father, Billie's uncle, and the principal of Greenwald Middle School, who trains Billie in magic
Recurring
Kirsten Vangsness as Minister Bigelow McFigglehorn (seasons 1 and 2), a member of the Wizard Tribunal who later comes under Lord Morsus' control
Patrick Bristow as Wizardpedia / Wiz M.D. (seasons 1 and 2), 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 clashes with Milo
Ramon Reed as Silas Evilini (seasons 1 and 3), the son of Dr. Evilini who was the main antagonist of season 1 and concealed his identity in a hooded robe until the season 1 finale.
Tobias Jelinek as Lord Morsus / Nicodemus Penwulf (seasons 2 and 3), a masked wizard seeking Billie's powers who brainwashes McFigglehorn. He is later revealed to be Billie's paternal grandfather since his son gave up being evil and married Alex.
Recker Eans as Quentin (season 2), an orc disguised as a human who is sent by Lord Morsus to capture Billie. Roman sent him to the Nowhere Zone.
Guest
Freya Skye as Piper (season 2), an oracle who receives visions and sketches images of the future
Harvey Guillén as Gossip Stone (season 2), a sentient bust with knowledge of Billie's parentage
Brandon Micheal Hall as Damien Penwulf (season 3), the long-lost father of Billie, the son of Nicodemus Penwulf, and a former villain who reformed after meeting Alex
Alumni from Wizards of Waverly Place
Selena Gomez as Alex Russo, Justin's younger sister, Roman and Milo's aunt, the Russo family's wizard, and a member of the Wizard Tribunal. In the second-season finale, Alex is revealed to be Billie's mother, having had her with Damien, the reformed son of Lord Morsus. She sacrifices herself by tackling Nicodemus Penwulf into a portal and sealing it from the other side.
Maria Canals-Barrera as Theresa Russo (seasons 1 and 3), 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
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 woman who held various jobs during the original series and now works as a mall security guard
Gregg Sulkin as Mason Greyback (season 3), a deceased pureblood werewolf that Alex used to date
Jennifer Stone as Harper Finkle (season 3), the best friend of Alex
Episodes
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. Andy Fickman also directed additional episodes outside of the pilot. 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 renewed for a four-episode third and final season, with Gomez making her directorial debut with the premiere episode.
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 were 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. The second season premiered on September 12, 2025, on Disney Channel, with two episodes. All episodes of the second season were released on Disney+ in the U.S. and select international markets on October 8, with episodes 7–10 being released prior to their televised premieres. The third and final season premiered on August 4, 2026, on Disney Channel and the following day on Disney+.
Reception
Critical response
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 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.
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.
