Another beloved Disney Channel classic is returning to the small screen. Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is not a remake or reboot of the original Wizards of Waverly Place but more of a revival series for the story that captivated fans when it was first released in 2007.

Since bidding farewell to the series in 2012, David Henrie has been fortunate to explore the world and recognize the show’s impact on fans around the globe. What initially started as hypothetical conversations about bringing it all back between him and former co-star Selena Gomez has turned into an all-new installment in which Henrie not only stars but also serves as a creator and executive producer alongside Gomez, who makes a cameo (or two) in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place herself.

“It really was all of these experiences that compelled Selena and I to want to do this again, as well as just hanging out with her over the years,” Henrie told Blavity’s Shadow and Act. “Then, she became friends with my wife, and we’d all just be sitting around talking about the show and where our characters would be. So, it was just a combination of all of these things that led to an organic snowballing to where we are now. Where Selena and I basically just said, ‘Hey, we’ve talked about this so much. We’ve joked around about this so much. Why don’t we formalize it a little more and go to Disney and do this in front of them?’”

Understanding this was a “tall order,” Henrie said he understood the importance of telling the story right and giving the fans what they may be looking for now, as most are probably grown and will be watching with their children.

“The show means a lot to people, so we have taken this very seriously, trying to create something that can be a big hug to the original fans, a warm hug, but also an invitation to maybe bring a young person in your life, maybe your child or your niece, nephew or little cousin, to watch this with you,” he added. 

What is Wizards Beyond Waverly Place about?

According to an official series synopsis, Wizards Beyond Wavery Place follows an adult Justin Russo (David Henrie), who has chosen to lead a normal, mortal life with his family, Giada (Mimi Gianopulos), Roman (Alkaio Thiele) and Milo (Max Matenko). When Justin’s sister, Alex (Selena Gomez), brings Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) to his home seeking help, Justin realizes he must dust off his magical skills to mentor the wizard-in-training while also juggling his everyday responsibilities —and safeguarding the future of the Wizard World. 

Who are some of the newcomers?

For Janice LeAnn Brown, becoming a character like Billie meant a lot, especially since they show up differently in the world.

“I usually struggle with my confidence a lot, so the fact that I got to play this character that is so confident, bold and unapologetically herself, it genuinely means a lot,” Brown said. “As she’s growing with the Russos, it feels like I’m also growing within myself as a person. So, I’m definitely taking a little bit of confidence from her every single day. I’m learning a lot from her,” she continued, adding, “It’s just kind of the beauty of film and as an actress, to kind of take some things from your character … and I just love that so much.”

Taylor Cora, who stars as the best friend of Brown’s character, also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of such a beloved story.

“I really love being on this specific franchise, not only because we already have a built-in audience that loves us for whatever reason, but because I really love the special effects and the physical comedy parts of it,” she shared. “There’s a lot of magic in this show, which requires a lot of special effects, and the physical comedy is really fun.”

Additional newbies to the franchise include Alkaio Thiele and Max Matenko as Justin’s sons, Roman and Milo Russo, and Mimi Gianopulos as Justin’s wife and the mother of his children, Giada Russo.

When and where can I watch Wizards Beyond Waverly Place?

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is now available to stream on Disney+, and episodes also air weekly on Disney Channel Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.