Disney Greenlights ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ Sequel Series With Selena Gomez
Have your wands at the ready.
Selena Gomez unveiled new set photos and the official show title for the Wizards of Waverly Place sequel—called Wizards Beyond Waverly Place—during a May 14 appearance at Disney Upfront.
In one of the shots, the Rare Beauty founder’s character Alex Russo posed with David Henrie‘s Justin Russo as they both held up their magic wands. In another snap, the on-screen siblings smiled for the camera while sitting around a breakfast table alongside new castmates Mimi Gianopulos, Alkaio Thiele and Max Matenko.
And that’s not all that’s been revealed about the upcoming Disney sequel, which was co-created by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas.
Details were also shared about the show’s plot, which begins with Justin living a normal, mortal life with his family Giada (Gianopulos), Roman (Thiele) and Milo (Matenko). When Alex brings her daughter Billie—played by series lead Janice LeAnn Brown—to his house “seeking help,” he’s forced to make a tough decision.
“Justin realizes he must dust off his magical skills to mentor the wizard-in-training,” explained a May 14 press statement to E! News, “while also juggling his everyday responsibilities—and safeguarding the future of the Wizard World.”
Courtesy of Disney
And while Selena will only reprise her OG role as a guest star on the follow-up series, the Only Murders in the Building star will be involved in other ways as well, including serving as executive producer alongside David and Gary Marsh.
Of course, whether working with the cast on or off screen, Selena forever holds a special place in her heart for her Wizards family.
Disney/Eric McCandless
“I know that you guys love me for me,” the 31-year-old told original costars David DeLuise and Jennifer Stone on their Wizards of Waverly Pod podcast last year. “I tell people all the time I’ve never had that feeling that I’ve had with the whole Wizards crew, not just you guys.”
She added, “I felt like I was the happiest I had been my whole life [on the show], and I don’t want that to be a sad thought, because I’m really grateful and happy, but it was definitely the happiest times for me.”
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is set to premiere on Disney+ and Disney Channel later this year. While you wait, catch up on all the shows that are coming to your TV screen in 2024.
Netflix
Bridgerton (Netflix) – May 16
From Shondaland and new showrunner, Jess Brownell, Bridgerton is back for its third season and finds Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) has finally given up on her long-held crush on Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) after hearing his disparaging words about her last season. She has, however, decided it’s time to take a husband, preferably one who will provide her with enough independence to continue her double life as Lady Whistledown, far away from her mother and sisters. But lacking in confidence, Penelope’s attempts on the marriage mart fail spectacularly. Meanwhile, Colin has returned from his summer travels with a new look and a serious sense of swagger. But he’s disheartened to realize that Penelope, the one person who always appreciated him as he was, is giving him the cold shoulder. Eager to win back her friendship, Colin offers to mentor Penelope in the ways of confidence to help her find a husband this season. But when his lessons start working a little too well, Colin must grapple with whether his feelings for Penelope are truly just friendly. Complicating matters for Penelope is her rift with Eloise (Claudia Jessie), who has found a new friend in a very unlikely place, while Penelope’s growing presence in the ton makes it all the more difficult to keep her Lady Whistledown alter ego a secret.
Dan Smith / FOX
Don’t Forget the Lyrics (Fox) – May 16
Hosted by Emmy Award-winner Niecy Nash, Don’t Forget The Lyrics challenges contestants’ musical memory as they get one song closer to winning $1 million.
Amanda Mazonkey/FOX
I Can See Your Voice (Fox) – May 16
I Can See Your Voice host Ken Jeong is joined by Emmy Award-nominated actress Cheryl Hines and Daytime Emmy Award-winning television host and vocalist Adrienne Bailon-Houghton along with a rotating panel of celebrity detectives to help one contestant tell the difference between good and bad singers…without ever hearing them sing a note.
USA/NBCUniversal
Race to Survive New Zealand (USA) – May 20
In the most harrowing outdoor adventure competition yet, challengers must rely on a combination of endurance racing, survival skills and intuition as they navigate 150 miles of New Zealand’s harshest terrain. From the depths of ancient caves to frigid alpine summits, every step and every calorie is hard-earned. However, strength and speed alone won’t be enough to win $500,000. Rather, only those with the strongest will to survive can claim this life-changing prize.
Chris Haston/NBC
Weakest Link (NBC) – May 20
Hosted by Emmy Award winner Jane Lynch, the iconic British import and international game show phenomenon returns with a new batch of episodes, including a special veteran-themed show saluting the troops.
Brian Bowen Smith / FOX
Gordon Ramsey’s Food Stars (Fox) – May 22
Culinary titan Gordan Ramsay welcomes famed hospitality industry leader and TV personality Lisa Vanderpump in the all-new season of the hit competition series.
Hulu
The Kardashians (Hulu) – May 23
Kris Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian Barker, Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner return for season five this spring.
HBO/Warner Bros. Discovery
Gaga Chromatica Ball (HBO) – May 25
In front of a sold-out crowd of 52,000 people, 13-time Grammy and Academy Award winner Lady Gaga delivers a career-defining performance at Los Angeles’s Dodger Stadium during her 2022 Chromatica Ball Tour.
FOX
Beat Shazam (Fox) – May 28
Jamie Foxx and Corinne Fox return for a new season of the interactive game show.
Trae Patton/NBC
America’s Got Talent (NBC) – May 28
The 19th season of America’s Got Talent returns with a new set of aspiring performers looking to compete for the ultimate $1 million prize. Executive producer Simon Cowell returns to the star-studded judging panel with Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara.
FOX
Masterchef (Fox) – May 29
Gordon Ramsay, acclaimed chef Aarón Sánchez and renowned restaurateur Joe Bastianich return for the ultimate cook-off, as the top home cooks from four different generations, inclusive of Gen Z, Millenials, Gen X and Baby Boomers, battle it out.
MTV/Viacom
Teen Mom: The Next Chapter (MTV) – May 30
Catelynn Baltierra, Jade Cline, Cheyenne Davis, Briana DeJesus, Ashley Jones, Maci McKinney, Leah Messer and Amber Portwood return for the new season. The moms are stepping into new territory, some of them giving driving lessons to their adolescents and others weighing their desire to have more children. In the midst of it all, they are juggling their relationships, prioritizing time for their significant others and navigating personal discoveries.
Laura Radford/Peacock
We Are Lady Parts (Peacock) – May 30
Season two of We Are Lady Parts sees the band return with a renewed artistic mission after the high of their first U.K. tour, only to find a rival band threatens their delicate status quo. As the reality of chasing success sets in, Lady Parts embark on recording their first album, juggling personal ambitions and deciding whether “making it big” is really what they wanted.
Laura Radford/Peacock
We Are Lady Parts (Peacock) – May 30
Season two of We Are Lady Parts sees the band return with a renewed artistic mission after the high of their first U.K. tour, only to find a rival band threatens their delicate status quo. As the reality of chasing success sets in, Lady Parts embark on recording their first album, juggling personal ambitions and deciding whether ‘making it big’ is really what they wanted.
Bravo
The Real Housewives of Dubai (Bravo) – June 2
Season two of the reality series debuts this summer.
Lifetime
Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up (Lifetime) – June 3
On the heels of the buzzed about documentary The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard where Gypsy Rose Blanchard told her story in her own words, Lifetime’s new eight episode docuseries, Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up picks up immediately from the days before her release from prison on Dec. 28 of last year. The series follows Gypsy as she experiences life as a free woman, including reconnecting with family and finally living with her husband Ryan Anderson for the first time.
Lorraine O’Sullivan/FOX
Name That Tune (Fox) – June 3
Hosted by Jane Krakowski and band leader Randy Jackson, contestants’ musical knowledge will be tested for a chance to win over $100,000.
Bravo
Below Deck Mediterranean (Bravo ) – June 3
The azure waters and ancient ruins of Athens, Greece set the scene as Capt. Sandy Yawn returns to steer her team through a season brimming with fresh and formidable challenges. Between eccentric guests, an abundance of late-night demands that require intervention and a never-before-seen mechanical issue that orders all hands on deck, the crew faces tumultuous waves from the start.
FX
Clipped (Hulu) – June 4
Clipped takes you behind the scenes of a notorious NBA owner’s racist remarks, captured on a tape heard around the world. Based on the hit ESPN 30 for 30 podcast The Sterling Affairs, this limited series charts the collision between a dysfunctional basketball organization and even less functional marriage, and the precipitating tape’s impact on an ensemble of characters striving to win against the backdrop of the most cursed team in the league.
Hulu/Disney
Becoming Karl Lagerfeld (Hulu) – June 7
In 1972, Karl Lagerfeld (Daniel Brühl) is 38 and not yet wearing his iconic hairstyle. He is a ready-to-wear designer, unknown to the general public. While he meets and falls in love with the sultry Jacques de Bascher (Théodore Pellerin), an ambitious and troubling young dandy, the most mysterious of fashion designers dares to take on his friend (and rival) Yves Saint Laurent (Arnaud Valois), a genius of haute couture backed by the redoubtable businessman Pierre Bergé (Alex Lutz).
Netflix
Perfect Match (Netflix) – June 7
In the second season of Perfect Match, 22 new singles from across Netflix’s unscripted series are back in the search for love. They will couple up and test their romantic relationships through compatibility challenges. Winning couples gain power in the game to bring in new singles to match with their castmates – setting up potential love matches or stirring trouble in paradise as they compete to be the strongest couple at the villa, crowned the Perfect Match.
Amazon/Prime Video
The Boys (Prime) – June 13
In Season Four, the world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power. Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son and his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late.
Courtesy of HBO
House of the Dragon (HBO) – June 16
Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke and Matt Smith return in the for the HBO series’ second season, which sees the Targaryen families at war over the Iron Throne.
Hulu/Disney
Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge (Hulu) – June 25
An unprecedented look at the non-stop life of a cultural luminary. At a time when gender equality and women’s issues are at the forefront, Diane von Furstenberg’s life exemplifies empowerment, resilience, entrepreneurship, and style. She is an inspiration to women with her unapologetic demeanor. Diane never saw herself as a victim of sexism; rather, she embraced her femininity in a strong and profound way, forging a path for her daughter and the next generation of women to follow.
Amazon/MGM Studios
I Am: Celine Dion (Prime VIdeo) – June 25
Directed by Academy Award nominee Irene Taylor, I Am: Celine Dion gives us a raw and honest behind-the-scenes look at the iconic superstar’s struggle with a life-altering illness. Serving as a love letter to her fans, this inspirational documentary highlights the music that has guided her life while also showcasing the resilience of the human spirit.
FX/Disney
The Bear (FX & Hulu) – June 27
Season three of The Bear returns in June, with all the episodes dropping on Hulu at the same time.
Peacock/NBCUniversal
Those About to Die (Peacock) – July 18
Those About to Die is an epic drama set in the corrupt world of the spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition, exploring a side of ancient Rome never before told—the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most…blood and sport. The series introduces an ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who collide at the explosive intersection of sports, politics and dynasties.
Netflix
Emily in Paris – August 15
This summer, fans will finally be able to see how the Emily (Lily Collins), Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) and Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) love triangle plays out after the sesaon three cliff hanger.
Patrick Harbron/Hulu
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) – Aug. 27
In season four of Only Murders in the Building, Charles, Oliver and Mabel wrestle with the shocking events at the end of season three surrounding Charles’ stunt double & friend Sazz Pataki. Questioning whether Sazz or Charles was the intended victim, our trio’s investigation leads them all the way to Los Angeles where a Hollywood studio is readying a film about the Only Murders podcast. As our amateur sleuths race back to New York, they embark on an even more epic journey — traversing their building’s courtyard to delve into the twisted lives of the Arconia’s West Tower residents.
Peacock
Love Island USA (Peacock) – Summer 2024
Season six of the hit dating competitionshow will premiere summer 2024 on Peacock.
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