It is official; the wizards are back! In January 2024, it was announced on David Henrie’s Instagram that there will be a reboot of the iconic Disney Channel show “Wizards of Waverly Place.” Former stars of this legendary show Selena Gomez, who played Alex Russo, and Henrie, who played Justin Russo, are heading up the move to bring back magic to Disney Channel in a new series called “Wizards.”
These two played the oldest of the three Russo siblings, and they are coming together to reimagine the wizarding world in a hilarious new series as the show’s executive producers. I do not know about everyone else, but I am very excited. Wizards of Waverly Place is one of the most nostalgic shows for people who grew up watching Disney Channel in the early 2000s, and it is one of my personal favorites.
“I am excited about it because it has the original characters,” said Emma Chambers, a sophomore liberal studies major. “I never really watch reboots because they don’t usually have the original people.”
The best part about this reboot is that there will be guest appearances of former characters. I think the thing that often deters people from watching reboots is the fact that it is more like a remake with all new characters. However, “Wizards” will just be a new addition to the show. It will be like an extension of the original series and will bring back past humor and characters. Think of it as an expansion of the plot rather than a whole new thing. Viewers will get to see how the characters have grown and what their lives are like past the sandwich shop and their teenage years.
However, there are a few unsatisfactory things coming with this reboot. As far as we know, Gomez will only be in the first episode. What? We need more Alex content than that. She has to be one of the most relatable characters in Disney Channel history, with some of the most iconic lines.
“I’m not lazy,” Alex Russo said in season 3, episode 5 of “Wizards of Waverly Place.” “I’m just resting up for my thirties. Yep, got a lot planned.”
How can someone say this is not relatable? If you need me, I will also be resting up from now until my thirties. Gomez herself is now in her thirties, and I want to see what all she has planned. It has been a long time coming since that episode aired, and I can imagine that Alex will have a lot of sarcasm and sass to make up for those missed years between the “Wizards” pilot and the finale of “Wizards of Waverly Place.” Her character brought so much hilarious content to the show, and I love it.
“I loved the show,” said Evan Raffield, a junior accounting major. “I always liked how they could do so much with it because of the magical aspect that made it different from all the other Disney shows.
Many may have concerns with rebooting a show that is so iconic; however, there have been reboots that have been successful. For example, a reboot of the classic ‘90s show “Full House” came out in 2016, called “Fuller House,” and did very well. I personally have a hard time watching reboots, but I liked this one.
I do not think there should be much concern about “Wizards” since Gomez and Henrie are leading in production. They know the show the best since they starred in it for the entirety of its running, and I have faith that they will not disappoint the wizarding fans.
