The official title of the new series Wizards Beyond Waverly Place — a continuation of the Emmy Award-winning Wizards of Waverly Place — was announced on stage at the Disney Upfront today by Selena Gomez.
Gomez, who serves as the new series’ executive producer and guest star, also revealed first-look images and the series logo.
The photos provide a glimpse of Selena Gomez and David Henrie reprising their roles as Alex and Justin Russo. They also serve as an introduction to series lead Billie, portrayed by Janice LeAnn Brown, and the Russo family, played by Mimi Gianopulos (Giada Russo), Alkaio Thiele (Roman Russo), and Max Matenko (Milo Russo).
Additionally, newcomer Taylor Cora has joined the regular series cast in the role of Winter, Billie’s bubbly, quirky, and oversharing best friend.
The series follows an adult Justin Russo, who has chosen to lead a normal, mortal life with his family, Giada, Roman, and Milo.
When Justin’s sister Alex brings Billie 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.
From Disney Branded Television, the series is slated to premiere on Disney Channel and Disney+ later this year.
Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, along with Gary Marsh, Gomez, and Henrie, wrote and executive produced the pilot. Andy Fickman will direct multiple episodes.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to provide the latest news on streaming, movies, and TV shows. He previously created the websites ComingSoon, SuperHeroHype, and ShockTillYouDrop.