OMG! Selena Gomez is going back to Disney Channel!!
Turns out the actress isn’t done with the Wizard World just yet! In an exciting and unexpected announcement on Thursday, Deadline revealed Selena and her former co-star David Henrie have reunited to executive produce a Wizards of Waverly Place spin-off series — and Disney Branded Television officially picked it up for a pilot! And get this, Selly and David are gonna star in it!
Whaaaa????
The sequel series will begin after “a mysterious incident at WizTech” occurs. It’ll focus on David’s character Justin Russo, who has left his powers behind to live a normal life with his wife and two kids. But everything changes when a “powerful young wizard” in need of training shows up at his door and he “must embrace his past to ensure the future of the Wizard World.” That new wizard, Billie, will be played by the show’s lead Janice LeAnn Brown. Also in the cast? Alkaio Thiele will star as Roman Russo, Justin’s oldest son, and Mimi Gianopulos will play his wife, Giada. Selena will be in the pilot, at the very least, and David will be a series regular, FYI.
Related: Selena Gomez STUNS On Emmys Red Carpet! WOW!
So far, no word on whether other former cast members like Jake T. Austin, Jennifer Stone, Maria Canals-Barrera, or David DeLuise will return. Minus Henrie, they all participated in a TV movie, The Wizards Return: Alex Vs. Alex, in 2013, after the end of the series, so it’s likely they’d want to be involved. (Wow, it’s been over a decade since even that!!!) Jen and David also have a rewatch podcast going right now. So, hopefully, we’ll get to see them all again in some fashion!
Right now, the only other people definitely involved are the pilot’s writers and executive producers Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas — the same team behind the successful That’s So Raven spin-off Raven’s Home. Gary Marsh and Andy Fickman are also going to EP, with Fickman set to direct the pilot. On her Instagram Story, the Rare Beauty founder said she is “so excited!!” She also shared a throwback pic from the show of her and her TV bro, adding, “WE’RE BACK!” David was equally happy. See his post (below)!
While all of this is super exciting — we just hope we’ll actually get to see this new show! Remember what they did to Lizzie McGuire after all?!?
Hilary Duff was all set to reprise her icon role, and the show was actually deep into the production process when Disney+ bailed on the series. Just this week, Jonathan Hurwitz, a writer on the canceled show, shared some insight into why that wack decision was made, claiming it was going to start with Lizzie in NYC dating a hot chef. But when she finds out she’d been cheated on, she goes back to Cali, where she meets up with pal Gordo (now engaged) and reconnects with crush Ethan Craft. And here’s the biggest problem — at least from the Mouse House’s POV. He explained one episode’s plot point:
“Lizzie wakes up in Ethan’s bed in his water polo t-shirt and animated Lizzie pops up and she has this little checklist — like a to-do list — and Ethan is on the list. And she checks it off and I think she says something like, ‘Well, check that box.’ Dramatic pause, ‘Twice!’”
LOLz!!
Turns out Disney wasn’t “comfortable” with the sheer implication that a GROWN-ASS ADULT was having sex — which is “problem one of” the reasons the show was canned. So, yeah, don’t expect this new Wizards spinoff to be made for adults – ’cause that clearly ain’t flying!
Reactions?!? Do you hope this Wizards series makes it onto the air? Let us know (below)!
[Image via Disney Channel/Selena Gomez/YouTube]
