Disney Channel is working on a Wizards of Waverly Place reboot, casting some familiar faces for the revival.
The legacy sequel will return to the world of the beloved Dinsey Channel original series that ran from 2007 to 2012. It also marks yet another effort by the network to bring back some of its biggest and most memorable titles (a la Raven's Home and Girl Meets World).
Waverly Place told the story of the Russo kids, three siblings/New York-dwelling wizards-in-training who learn about their magical family heritage while navigating the throws of being a teenager.
7 Actors Confirmed To Appear in Wizards of Waverly Place Reboot
According to Deadline, a Wizards of Waverly Place reboot is in the works at Disney, picking up years after the original series left off.
As a part of the reboot's announcement, five actors were listed to join the series, with no release specifics revealed.
Ahead are the five actors listed as a part of the wand-wielding reboot:
David Henrie - Justin Russo
David Henrie returns as Justin Russo, the eldest of the Russo kids first seen in the original Waverly Place series. The reboot finds Justin returning to the world of magic and wizards after leaving it behind for a life of normalcy.
Following a mysterious incident at the famous Wiztech wizarding school, Justin must take a young, but powerful wizard under his wing, teaching a magic-user named Billie what it means to be a wizard.
Henrie is also known for his role as one of Ted Mosby's kids in How I Met Your Mother, and the Kevin James film Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2.
Selena Gomez - Alex Russo
To the surprise of many, Selena Gomez will also appear in the reboot in some capacity. Gomez played Alex Russo, Justin's younger sister, in the original series and was seen as the strongest wizard of the family despite being the most reckless.
Gomez will reportedly only serve as a guest star in the pilot for the Waverly Place revival, returning to the series that gave the star her big break back in 2007.
Since her time on Wizards of Waverly Place, Gomez has had a highly successful acting and music career, starring in hits like Hulu's Only Murders in the Building series and Spring Breakers.
Janice LeAnn Brown - Billie
A new addition to the Waverly Place franchise is series lead Janice LeAnn Brown as Billie.
Coming in as a young and powerful wizard, Billie surprises Justin to start the series by appearing at the former magic user's front door looking for help.
Brown previously appeared in Black-ish, Euphoria, and the Disney Channel series Just Roll With It.
Alkaio Thiele - Roman Russo
Alkaio Thiele stars as Roman Russo, Justin's oldest son, who has seemingly been sheltered from his magical lineage.
Thiele can also be seen in Fox's Call Me Kat and Spidey and His Amazing Friends, in which he voiced a version of Peter Parker/Spider-Man.
Mimi Gianopulos - Giada Russo
Mimi Gianopulos is the last confirmed after to appear in the series, joining the revival as Giada Russo (aka Justin's wife and the mother of his children).
Gianopulos will be familiar to fans of American Princess and What to Expect When You're Expecting.
David Deluise - Jerry Russo
David Deluise played the loving, but slightly overbearing father of the Russo clan Jerry in the original Wizards series, and he is reportedly set to come back for the revival.
While not a part of the initial announcement, Deluise (along with Maria Canals-Barrera) was confirmed to return, appearing in a photo alongside David Henrie and Selena Gomez, paired with the caption, "The Russos [are] coming back" (via People).
Deluise has spent the last few years hosting a Wizards of Waverly Place retrospective podcast with his former co-star Jennifer Stone, but he is best known for his roles in Unbroken: Path to Redemption and Pup Star.
Maria Canals-Barrera - Theresa Russo
Confirmed to appear in the series alongside her Wizards of Waverly Place on-screen husband Jerry (played by David Deluise) was Maria Canals-Barrera's Theresa Russo.
Having been a part of the series since the very beginning, Theresa was always an interesting presence in the series, being the only true-blue human in a family of magic-using wizards.
Canals-Barrera can also be seen (or heard) in Camp Rock, the 2000s animated Justice League series, and Apple TV+'s The Morning Show.
Jake T. Austin - Max Russo (Rumored)
While Jake T. Austin's return as the youngest of the Russo children has yet to be confirmed, the evidence is mounting that he will at least have a cameo in the upcoming revival series.
Following the announcement of the series - and the ensuing reveal of the rest of the Russo family coming back for the reboot, Austin took to Instagram, posting a story with the caption "Wow! Am looking forward to getting together with my wizard family" (via Entertainment Tonight).
Some have taken this as official confirmation the actor would be back, but nothing from Disney has made its way out on Austin's involvement as of yet.
Austin has been involved in several scandals since his time on the Disney Channel show, having been arrested for alleged drunk driving back in 2013. Austin appeared in all 106 episodes of Wizards of Waverly Place as well as The Emoji Movie and Hotel for Dogs.
Who Else Could Return in Waverly Place Reboot?
It is still early for the Wizards of Waverly Place revival, so there is still plenty of time to round out the show's cast.
With David Henrie, Selena Gomez, David Deluise, and Maria Canals-Barrera all being confirmed to return to their Wizards of Waverly Place roles there are still a couple of names sitting in the ether.
The biggest stars of the classic magic-wielding Disney series yet to be confirmed to return is Jennifer Stone.
Jennifer Stone's Harper Finkle was a beloved member of the Wizards cast as Alex's high school best friend and close compatriot.
Stone appeared in all 106 episodes of the hit series, and has even launched a Waverly Place recap podcast with her former co-star David Deluise in recent years.
Since appearing in the Disney Channel original series, Stone has remained largely away from the spotlight of Hollywood, quitting acting to pursue her education.
Wizards of Waverly Place is streaming on Disney+, with no release info available for the upcoming sequel series.
