The Russo family will return for one last spell-binding iteration of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.
The series is set to conclude this summer with a “four-part event” on Disney+ and Disney Channel, it was revealed Thursday. Production begins next week.
Selena Gomez, who is an executive producer on the sequel series, will make her directorial debut with the premiere episode. As with the previous two seasons, she is also set to reprise her role as Alex Russo in multiple episodes.
Season 2 ended on quite a cliffhanger as Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) was reunited with all of her childhood memories that had been erased before she began living with Justin Russo (David Henrie) and his family — including the fact that Alex (Gomez) is her mother.
Viewers may also remember that Billie’s father is the former dark wizard Damian Pennwolf, who has yet to be formally introduced. At the end of the second season, Damian’s father Lord Morsus forces Billie to open a rift to the world of dark magic as part of a prophecy. Alex jumps through the portal with Lord Morsus and closes it from the other side to save everyone else, setting the stage for the rest of the Russos to go after her in these final episodes.
Per Disney’s logline, in the four-part event, “Billie, still reeling from losing Alex at the end of Season 2, discovers that the only way to rescue her mother is to reunite with her long-lost father. As her family bands together to find Alex, Billie realizes that their combined power is the only way the Russos can defeat the evil plaguing them.”
The Wizards revival has been quite popular for Disney, ranking among the top five titles overall with kids 6–11, teens 12–17 and adults 18–24 in views.
The series stars David Henrie (as Justin Russo), Janice LeAnn Brown (as Billie), Alkaio Thiele (as Roman Russo), Max Matenko (as Milo Russo), Taylor Cora (as Winter) and Mimi Gianopulos (as Giada Russo).
Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas serve as writers and executive producers, along with executive producers Gary Marsh, Jonas Agin, Rick Williams, Gomez and Henrie. Wizards of Waverly Place was created by Todd Greenwald.