Emmy-nominated actress, singer and Rare Beauty founder Selena Gomez will return as Alex Russo for the “Wizards of Waverly Place” reboot, which is now in pre-production.
Gomez appeared Wednesday on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, hosted by her “Only Murders in the Building” co-star Martin Short, and talked about how much the show means to her.
“I'm going to be in the first episode, I'm the executive producer, and it brings tears to my eyes because that's where I started, and to honor it in this way has really been a blast, and I can't wait to get it out,” he said.
Selena Gomez and David Henrie reprise the roles of brothers Alex and Justin Russo in “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.”
(Eric McCandless/Disney)
The spin-off will follow an adult Justin Russo (Alex's brother, once again played by actor David Henrie) who has given up his wizard powers to live a normal life with his wife and two children. According to Deadline, an emergency at Wiztech brings a young wizard in need of training to their doorstep. Justin must return to his magical roots and help save the Wizarding World.
Gomez announced the series on stage during the Disney upfront in May. The actor also offered photos of the first look of the new program and its official logo. The event also introduced new cast members, including leading lady Janice LeAnn Brown and newcomer Taylor Cora..
While there is no official release date yet for the “Wizards” reboot, Disney confirmed that the show, “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place,” will premiere later this year on Disney Channel and Disney+.
Last month, Gómez, along with actresses Zoe Saldaña and Karla Sofía Gascón, earned the biggest ovation at this year's Cannes Film Festival for their performance in the musical drama “Emilia Pérez.” Gómez also received the award for best actress at the festival, where she appeared tearfully with her co-stars amid overwhelming praise for the film.
