Wizards Beyond Waverly Place | |
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Genre | Comedy [1] |
Created by | Todd J. Greenwald [2] |
Based on | Wizards of Waverly Place by Todd J. Greenwald |
Developed by | Jed Elinoff & Scott Thomas [2] |
Starring |
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Theme music composer |
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Opening theme | "Everything Is Not What It Seems" by Janice LeAnn Brown feat. Selena Gomez |
Composer | Zack Ryan |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 2 |
No. of episodes | 23 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Producers |
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Cinematography | Clifford Jones |
Editors |
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Camera setup | Multi-camera |
Running time | 22–27 minutes [3] |
Production companies |
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Original release | |
Network | Disney Channel |
Release | October 29, 2024 – present |
Related | |
Wizards of Waverly Place (2007−2012) |
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is an American comedy television series developed by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, serving as a sequel to Wizards of Waverly Place . It premiered on October 29, 2024, on Disney Channel. Based on characters created by Todd J. Greenwald, the series stars Janice LeAnn Brown, Alkaio Thiele, Max Matenko, Taylor Cora, Mimi Gianopulos, and David Henrie. Elinoff, Thomas, Selena Gomez, Henrie, and recurring director Andy Fickman executive produce the series alongside Gary Marsh and Jonas Agin.
In March 2025, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on September 12, 2025.
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 until his sister Alex asks for help with a young wizard-in-training named Billie. He revives his magical skills in order to mentor the young girl while balancing living a normal life and safeguarding the future of the Wizard World.
In season two, now that Roman and Milo have also become wizards as well, Justin now has to train Billie, Roman and Milo to prepare them for the upcoming family wizard competition.
No. overall | No. in season | Title [1] | Directed by | Written by [2] | Original release date [1] | Prod. code [1] | U.S. viewers (millions) | ||
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1 | 1 | "Everything Is Not What It Seems" | Andy Fickman | Jed Elinoff & Scott Thomas | October 29, 2024 | 101 | 0.14 [13] | ||
Fifteen years after Alex Russo became the family wizard, [a] her brother Justin, now 34 and a non-practicing full wizard, lives a normal life on Staten Island with his wife Giada and their two mortal sons, Milo and Roman. Justin has given up magic after being fired from WizTech. Alex, now 32 and part of the Wizard Tribunal, arrives with a young wizard named Billie and asks Justin to train her. He initially refuses but reconsiders after Billie conjures a "Floogie" monster, prompting Justin to help her defeat it. Without his family's knowledge, Justin resumes magic and agrees to mentor Billie. Justin, Billie, and Alex revisit the old family lair, where Alex reveals a prophecy: Billie is destined to prevent an impending global threat. Special guest star: Selena Gomez as Alex Russo Guest star: Dee Bradley Baker as Floogie Absent: Taylor Cora as Winter | |||||||||
2 | 2 | "Mortal Vibes Only" | Jody Margolin Hahn | Jed Elinoff & Scott Thomas | October 29, 2024 | 102 | 0.12 [13] | ||
Billie gets in trouble with Justin for using magic outside the lair and fears being kicked out. When she accidentally reveals Justin’s wizard identity to Milo and Roman, she tries to fix the situation by casting a slowing spell on them and brewing an erasing potion—but it backfires, erasing half of each boy’s body. In the chaos, Giada discovers the truth about magic. Feeling ashamed, Billie runs away, but Justin finds her at the Ghoulhound Bus Stop and apologizes, assuring her that making mistakes is part of growing up. He brings her back home. After they leave, a green ghostly figure—seeking to destroy Billie—appears. Guest stars: Patrick Bristow as Wizardpedia, Dee Bradley Baker as Phantomus Absent: Taylor Cora as Winter | |||||||||
3 | 3 | "Saved by the Spell" | Andy Fickman | Jed Elinoff & Scott Thomas | October 30, 2024 [b] | 103 | 0.12 [15] | ||
On her first day at Greenwald Middle School, Billie tries to impress Roman's best friend, Winter, using magic. Meanwhile, a magical talking frog warns Giada that a Phantomus is loose on Staten Island, prompting her to search for Justin. Jealous of Billie and Winter's growing friendship, Roman steals Billie's wand, leading the Phantomus to mistake him for a wizard and possess him. Billie reveals herself to protect Roman, drawing the Phantomus's attention. Giada and Justin arrive and urge Billie to use a restraining spell, which she successfully casts, trapping the Phantomus in Giada's purse. Billie later apologizes to Winter for using magic to impress her and is forgiven. Guest stars: Oscar Montoya as Marcus, Dee Bradley Baker as Phantomus, John DiMaggio as Frog | |||||||||
4 | 4 | "Something Wizard This Way Comes" | Bob Koherr | Molly Haldeman | October 30, 2024 [b] | 104 | 0.10 [15] | ||
On Halloween, Billie explains that in the wizarding world, houses without scary decorations risk being eaten by a monster called Pumpkin Belly. When their decorations vanish, Billie and Roman are swallowed by the creature and find Winter inside, who admits she stole the decorations to summon it. Billie uses soda and mints to make the monster vomit them out, but they must be re-eaten to retrieve Winter's forgotten phone. Meanwhile, Justin learns that students plan to egg his house since he's the acting principal. | |||||||||
5 | 5 | "Wizards Just Wand to Have Fun" | Victor Gonzalez | Brittany Assaly & Danielle Calvert | November 8, 2024 [b] | 105 | 0.16 [16] | ||
Frustrated with Billie's irresponsible magic, Justin takes away her wand. To get him to loosen up, Billie orders a prank box from a wizarding store but accidentally gets the wrong one. When Justin opens it at work, he is shrunk. Billie attempts to help with his virtual interview for the principal job, but it goes badly, and the superintendent ends up at the Russo home with Justin still miniature. Although he says Justin didn't get the job, Billie persuades him to give Justin another chance. Meanwhile, Roman uses a muscle suit to win at dodgeball. Guest stars: Darien Sills-Evans as Superintendent Kowalski | |||||||||
6 | 6 | "The Legend of Creepy Follows" | Andy Fickman | Rick Williams | November 8, 2024 [b] | 106 | 0.11 [16] | ||
Billie receives a tablet and joins Badgebook, an online school program created by Justin to help students with their work—but it's mostly used for gaining followers. When Billie fails to attract any, she casts a spell to boost her popularity. Her followers begin to appear in real life, and she learns from Wizardpedia that unless the spell is undone, they will destroy her. Billie transfers the spell to Roman, putting him in danger, but she and Giada break the spell by destroying all the tablets. Meanwhile, Milo sneaks into the lair and teaches Wizardpedia how to have fun. Guest star: Patrick Bristow as Wizardpedia | |||||||||
7 | 7 | "We're Gonna Need a Bigger Float" | Andy Fickman | Robin M. Henry | November 15, 2024 [b] | 107 | N/A | ||
Billie has been delaying her wizard homework and is forbidden by Justin from attending the Fall Fest Parade until she finishes it. While reading her spellbook, she finds a card for the Spellp-Line, a wizard helpline, and is transported there, where she meets Jerry Russo, Justin's father. She tricks him into giving her a completion spell to finish her homework. Meanwhile, Roman, leading the float decorating committee, bosses everyone away and struggles to finish the float alone. Billie uses the completion spell to complete it, and as the kids carry the float across town, it suddenly begins to float. Justin, grading Billie's quizzes, realizes she used the Spellp-Line and reunites with Jerry, who advises him that every student learns differently. Roman grows tired of the floating float and asks Billie to help land it; she finds a dropping spell, which destroys the float upon landing. Roman apologizes to the committee and enlists their help to rebuild it. Billie admits she must take her homework seriously to become a great wizard. In the end, Roman's float wins against the rival school's. Special guest star: David DeLuise as Jerry Russo Absent: Taylor Cora as Winter | |||||||||
8 | 8 | "You Can't Handle the Tooth" | Victor Gonzalez | Sandra Oyeneyin | November 15, 2024 [b] | 111 | N/A | ||
Justin suffers from a painful wisdom toothache he's long neglected. While he naps, Billie uses a spell to remove his wisdom teeth, which relieves the pain but also removes his wisdom, causing him to act out of character. Meanwhile, Milo and Roman struggle to agree on how to design their clubhouse. | |||||||||
9 | 9 | "Wiz-Taken Identity" | Lynda Tarryk | Jorge Thomson | November 22, 2024 [b] | 108 | 0.13 [17] | ||
Billie struggles with a spell, and Roman claims he could do it if he were a wizard. To prove him wrong, Billie uses an hourglass to transfer her powers to Roman for an hour, unaware it's illegal to use on mortals. A ministry member, Bigelow McFigglehorn, arrives to test Billie's abilities, and Roman impersonates her since McFigglehorn hasn't seen Billie's face. When another McFigglehorn appears, the first reveals herself as the evil wizard Morphia Murkshadow, sent to capture Billie. After Billie’s magic returns, she defeats Morphia, who is imprisoned. In prison, a hooded figure appears and sends Morphia through a portal to an unknown place. Meanwhile, Milo tries to win a pickleball tournament against Bella Bianchi with Giada's help. Guest stars: Kirsten Vangsness as Bigelow McFigglehorn, JJ Nolan as Morphia Murkshadow, Eleanor Sweeney as Bella Bianchi, Kristin Hensley as Anita Bianchi Absent: Taylor Cora as Winter | |||||||||
10 | 10 | "Ain't Gnome Party Like a Wizard Party" | Raven-Symoné | Brett Maier | November 22, 2024 | 109 | 0.12 [17] | ||
Billie's friend Nerissa from Wiz-Tech visits and says Billie has changed. To prove she's still "cool," Billie throws a house party and conjures a shadow-box—a nightmare trap no one lasts five minutes in. When Winter gets trapped inside, Billie rescues her and accepts her own changes. Meanwhile, Milo struggles to grow a sunflower, much to rival Bella's delight. A magical gnome grows it but intentionally switches bodies with Milo, forcing Justin and Giada to find a way to reverse the swap. During the party, Roman meets a Pixie named Iggy and instantly develops a crush. Guest stars: Mykal-Michelle Harris as Nerissa, Eleanor Sweeney as Bella Bianchi, Sarrie Thompson as Iggy, John DiMaggio as Gnome | |||||||||
11 | 11 | "Potions Eleven" | Danielle Fishel | Emily Orr & Ali Peikin | January 17, 2025 | 110 | 0.09 [18] | ||
Guest stars: Oscar Montoya as Marcus, Amir Talai as Alistair Goodspeed Absent: Max Matenko as Milo Russo | |||||||||
12 | 12 | "Battle of the Wands" | Robbie Countryman | Brittany Assaly & Danielle Calvert | January 17, 2025 | 112 | 0.09 [18] | ||
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13 | 13 | "There's Something About the Russos" | Leonard R. Garner Jr. | Molly Haldeman | January 24, 2025 | 113 | 0.09 [19] | ||
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14 | 14 | "Ready Player Wand" | Danielle Fishel | Emily Orr & Ali Peikin | January 24, 2025 | 117 | 0.08 [19] | ||
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15 | 15 | "Quest Birthday Ever!" | Bob Koherr | Brett Maier and Jorge Thomson | January 31, 2025 | 115 | 0.12 [20] | ||
It's Billie's 13th birthday which, as a wizard, means she has to go on a quest as a rite of passage. Justin sets one up for her, but an unknown wizard sabotages it and replaces it with another, which transports Billie into a cave with multiple dangers. Roman and Milo, avoiding decorating for the party, end up in Billie's quest and help her find and claim the prize at the end, an amulet. Meanwhile, Justin and Giada try to set up the party, and hire a party planner, who bonds with Giada. When they take the amulet, the cave collapses, but they are saved by Justin, who brings them to the party. Afterward, Billie is revealed to have secretly kept the amulet, which glows when she goes to sleep. Guest star: Miguel Pinzon as Martim | |||||||||
16 | 16 | "While You Were Sleepcasting" | Robbie Countryman | Chloe Mathieu & Rick Williams | January 31, 2025 | 116 | 0.10 [20] | ||
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17 | 17 | "Abraca-Disaster!" | Jody Margolin Hahn | Aaron Mervis & Robin M. Henry | February 7, 2025 | 114 | 0.16 [21] | ||
Winter has been practicing magic tricks for a month, but she's terrible at them. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, Billie instead uses magic to help her impress the President of their school's magic club, which then gets Winter into both the club and that evening's show. Roman has started work for the school paper, and his friend is the photographer. He accidentally captured Billie using magic on camera, so Roman goes to great lengths to get hold of the camera so he can delete the photo. Billie uses her magic to help Winter during the show and Winter gets upset. She tells Billie that she should have just told her rather than making her think she was good at something she wasn't. They both end up in a Tank that is slowly filling with water, and Billie doesn't have her wand so can't use magic to get them out. Meanwhile, Milo wants to see a new horror film- 'Bucket of Guts 2', but when his parents tell him he's too young, he calls them uncool. This gets in their heads and they both separately take him to see the film, which he really wasn't ready for. Guest stars: Caroline Valencia as Sage, Jaeden White as Parker | |||||||||
18 | 18 | "Hit Me With Your Best Bot" | Victor Gonzalez | Molly Haldeman and Brittany Assaly & Danielle Calvert | February 7, 2025 | 118 | 0.10 [21] | ||
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19 | 19 | "Raiders of the Locked Archive" | Jody Margolin Hahn | Robin M. Henry and Rick Williams | February 14, 2025 | 119 | 0.11 [22] | ||
Guest stars: Kirsten Vangsness as Bigelow McFigglehorn, Deron J. Powell as Cyclops, Matthew Willig as Archive Guard, John DiMaggio as Gnome, Rory Keane as Centaur Absent: Taylor Cora as Winter | |||||||||
20 | 20 | "When You Wish Upon A Squonk" | Jody Margolin Hahn | Jed Elinoff & Scott Thomas | February 21, 2025 | 120 | 0.16 [23] | ||
Special guest stars: Maria Canals-Barrera as Theresa Russo, David DeLuise as Jerry Russo Guest stars: Kirsten Vangsness as Bigelow McFigglehorn, Eleanor Sweeney as Bella Bianchi, Ian Gary as Wishing Squonk | |||||||||
21 | 21 | "Nigh is Now!" | Andy Fickman | Jed Elinoff & Scott Thomas | February 28, 2025 [e] | 121 | 0.21 [25] | ||
Special guest star: Selena Gomez as Alex Russo Guest stars: Kirsten Vangsness as Bigelow McFigglehorn, Ramon Reed as Silas Evilini |
No. overall | No. in season | Title [1] | Directed by | Written by [26] | Original release date [1] [27] | Prod. code [1] [27] | U.S. viewers (millions) |
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22 | 1 | "Curse Me Baby One More Time" | Andy Fickman | Jed Elinoff & Scott Thomas | September 12, 2025 | 201 | TBD |
Guest stars: Kirsten Vangsness as Bigelow McFigglehorn, Tobias Jelinek as Lord Morsus | |||||||
23 | 2 | "Ooze!...I Did It Again" | Andy Fickman | Scott Taylor & Wesley Jermaine Johnson | September 12, 2025 | 202 | TBD |
Guest stars: Freya Skye as Piper, Patrick Bristow as Wiz M.D. | |||||||
24 | 3 | "Howdy with a Trance of Gumballs" | TBA | Rick Williams | September 19, 2025 | 203 | TBD |
25 | 4 | "Don't Go Changeling My Heart" | TBA | Brittany Assaly & Danielle Calvert | September 26, 2025 | 204 | TBD |
On January 18, 2024, it was announced that Disney had ordered a pilot for a sequel television series of Wizards of Waverly Place . [28] Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, who developed Raven's Home , the sequel to That's So Raven , wrote the pilot episode. [29] It was directed by Andy Fickman. [30] 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. [31] The pilot was filmed on February 1, 2024, with Gomez guest starring and reprising her role as Alex Russo. [32] In the series, Henrie's character is set to have given up his wizard powers to live like a normal human. [33] [34] On March 22, 2024, it was announced that Disney Channel had ordered the pilot to series. [35] Production began in Los Angeles in April 2024. [36] Wizards was used as the working title during early filming [37] until its official title, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, was announced in May 2024. [38] Raven-Symoné and Danielle Fishel directed episodes. [14] Andy Fickman also directed additional episodes outside of the pilot. [39] The first season consists of 21 episodes. [40]
On March 31, 2025, the series was renewed for a second season. [41]
David Henrie reprises his role as Justin Russo, while Selena Gomez guest-stars as Alex Russo. [42] Mimi Gianopulos was cast to portray Giada, Justin's wife, and Alkaio Thiele plays their older son Roman. [43] Additionally, Janice LeAnn Brown stars as Billie, a young wizard seeking Justin's assistance in wizard training. [44] At the time it was ordered to series, it was reported that Max Matenko was cast as Milo, Justin's younger son. [45] Taylor Cora also appears as Winter, Billie and Roman's best friend. [46] It was later announced that David DeLuise would reprise his role as Justin's father Jerry. [47]
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. [48] 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. [14] Episodes 10–21 were released on Disney+ on February 28, 2025, with episode 21 being released prior to its televised premiere. [24] The second season premiered on September 12, 2025 on Disney Channel, with two episodes. All episodes of the second season are slated to be released on Disney+ in the U.S. and select international markets on October 8. [12]
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 89% approval rating with an average rating of 7.7/10, based on 9 critic reviews. [49] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 78 out of 100 based on 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [50]
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. [51] 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. [52]
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. [53] 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. [54]
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. [55] [56]
Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired | Avg. viewers (millions) | ||
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Date | Viewers (millions) | Date | Viewers (millions) | |||
1 | 21 | October 29, 2024 | 0.14 [13] | February 28, 2025 | 0.21 [25] | 0.12 |
Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
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Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild | February 15, 2025 | Best Makeup in Children and Teen Programming | Melissa Sandora, Sarah Benjamin Hall, Koji Ohmura | Nominated | [57] |
Best Hair Styling in Children and Teen Programming | Dwayne Ross, Tamara Tripp | Nominated | |||
Art Directors Guild Awards | February 15, 2025 | Excellence in Production Design for a Multi-Camera Series | Kelly Hogan (for "Saved by the Spell" and "Something Wizard this Way Comes") | Nominated | [58] |
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | June 21, 2025 | Favorite TV Show | Wizards Beyond Waverly Place | Nominated | [59] |
Favorite Male TV Star – Kids Show | David Henrie | Nominated | |||
Favorite Female TV Star – Kids Show | Janice LeAnn Brown | Nominated | |||
TCA Awards | August 20, 2025 | Outstanding Achievement in Family Programming | Wizards Beyond Waverly Place | Nominated | [60] |
Imagen Awards | August 22, 2025 | Best Young Actor | Taylor Cora | Nominated | [61] |
Propery Masters Guild Awards | September 13, 2025 | Half-Hour Multi-Camera Television Series | Lindsay Tomlinson Forrest | Won | [62] |
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. [63]