Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, the highly-anticipatedWizards of Waverly Placereboot, hasn’t brought back these 8 characters from the original show, and it’s unclear whether some of them will come back at all. Based onAlex and Justin Russo’s ages,Wizards Beyond Waverly Placeis set approximately 15 years after the original show, and plenty hashappened sinceWizards of Waverly Place. Most notably, Justin (David Henrie) married a mortal woman named Giada and had two sons, Milo and Roman, after he was fired as headmaster of WizTech and walked away from his magic powers.
Justin’s family is the focus ofWizards Beyond Waverly Place, a major change fromWizards of Waverly Place, which focused primarily on Alex. Selena Gomez’s Alex Russo is still part ofWizards Beyond Waverly Place’scast of characters, although she is guest starring rather than having a leading role. Jerry Russo, another member ofthe Russo family tree, also has a guest starring role and has already appeared on the show. Thus far, however,Wizards Beyond Waverly Placehas yet to bring back these 8Wizards of Waverly Placecharacters.
The first 9 episodes ofWizards Beyond Waverly Placeare currently streaming on Disney+.
8Juliet Van Heusen
Justin Russo’s Fan-Favorite Girlfriend Is Unlikely To Have A Cameo
InWizards of Waverly Place, Justin Russo dated Juliet Van Heusen (Bridgit Mendler), who ended up becoming easily his most popular girlfriend. Their relationship wasn’t exactly easy, as Justin discovered that Juliet was a vampire. However, the two worked it out and ended up being a very strong couple on the show.At the end ofWizards of Waverly Place, Justin and Juliet were still together.
Juliet is unlikely to appear on the show.
This made it all the more disappointing when it was revealed that Justin was married to a brand-new character, Giada. Not only did this mean he didn’t end up with Juliet, but it also means that Juliet is unlikely to appear on the show. AsWizards Beyond Waverly Placeis focused on Justin and his family, it wouldn’t make much sense for his ex-girlfriend to make an appearance. This is in addition to the fact that Mendler has walked away from acting and became the CEO and co-founder of Northwood Space.
Thus far, Juliet hasn’t even been mentioned, so it’s unclear exactly when and why the couple broke up. It also seems unlikely this will be addressed, for the same reasons it would make little sense for her to have a cameo. While Giada has proven to be a charming character and a good fit for Justin already, it is nevertheless disappointing that Juliet is presumably not returning to the franchise.
Disney’s Wizards Of Waverly Place Reboot Confirms A Disappointing Justin Twist 12 Years After The Finale
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is set to reboot the iconic Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place, but one major character won’t be back.
7Mason Greyback
Like Justin’s Ex, Alex’s Popular Boyfriend Mason Has Yet To Appear On The Show
Alex also had a major relationship onWizards of Waverly Placewith Mason Greyback (Gregg Sulkin), a werewolf. Throughout the show, Alex and Mason had an on-again-off-again relationship, which left the future of the couple uncertain. Even so, Mason had truly become part of the Russo family, and they often worked through their troubles.The odds seemed high that Alex and Mason would commit to one another for the long haul.
Thus far, Mason has not appeared on the show, nor has Alex mentioned Mason or her current dating status in general. Audiences had come to expect a cameo from Mason, as rumors had flown that Sulkin was on set filming for the reboot show. While it has been confirmed that he ‘visited’ set, it isn’t clear whether it was a true visit or whether he will make some sort of appearance. It seems possible if not likely that Mason will show up at some point given Sulkin’s time on set, which could mean he and Alex are going strong.
6Uncle Kelbo Russo
The Russo siblings' Uncle Kelbo was only occasionally onWizards of Waverly Place, but he proved to be very popular because he was so funny. In season 3, episode 13 ofWizards of Waverly Place, “Dude Looks Like Shakira,” Kelbo hilariously turned himself into Shakira with his powers. It was antics like this that made him so lovable, soit makes sense that viewers would be eager to see him onWizards Beyond Waverly Placeand find out what he’s been up to.
Kelbo was alsothe one family wizardbetween himself and his brother Jerry. Originally, Jerry won the Wizard Competition, which determines who in a wizard family will keep their powers in adulthood. When Jerry fell in love with Theresa, a mortal woman, he gave up his powers, and Kelbo’s powers were restored. This would make it even more interesting forWizards Beyond Waverly Placeto provide an update on Kelbo because he is one of the few remaining wizards in the Russo family.
5Zeke Beakerman
As Justin’s Best Friend, Zeke Should Definitely Make An Appearance
Zeke Beakerman (Dan Benson) was Justin Russo’s best friend inWizards of Waverly Place, which makes it somewhat surprising that he hasn’t appeared or been mentioned inWizards Beyond Waverly Placethus far. In fact, given Zeke was mortal, this would have been an even better friendship for Justin to keep around, as he was hiding his magic powers from his wife and sons for years; Zeke would have helped with this cover. Bringing Zeke ontoWizards Beyond Waverly Placealso wouldn’t pose the same problems bringing Juliet on would.
In this case,issues taking place off-screen have likely led to Zeke’s absence and, unfortunately, mean he’s very unlikely to come back to the franchise. Benson shared on TikTok that the"different direction"he has taken in his life since leaving the Disney Channel—referencing his current career in adult entertainment—meant he wasn’t going to be invited back. Based on social media, it also seems there’s some bad blood between Benson and Henrie. Sadly, this means the two friends are very unlikely to reunite, but perhapsWizards Beyond Waverly Placewill explain this somehow.
4Evil Alex
Alex Russo’s Alter Ego Evil Alex Could Make A Shocking Return
In the 2013Wizards of Waverly Placemovie,The Wizards Return: Alex Vs. Alex,Alex Russo casts a spell to remove the parts of herself she believes others do not like and inadvertently creates Evil Alex. As the name suggests, Evil Alex was a fully autonomous alter ego of Alex Russo, with all the ‘bad’ parts of her and none of the good. In the movie, Evil Alex works alongside the dark wizard Dominic to try to capture all mortals and take over the wizarding world.
Given the hood to conceal the villain’s true identity and the fact that this person has purple magic, this could be Evil Alex.
At the end ofAlex Vs. Alex, Alex absorbs the evil version of herself back into her body. While this means Evil Alex was defeated in the movie, those parts of Evil Alex still live inside of her, opening the door for her possible return. In fact, in episode 9 ofWizards Beyond Waverly Place, “Wiz-Taken Identity,” a hooded figure is revealed to be on an evil quest to capture Billie, the young wizard Justin is training. Given the hood to conceal the villain’s true identity and the fact that this person has purple magic, this could be Evil Alex.
I’m Convinced The Villain In Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’s Cliffhanger Is This Dark OG Character
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place episode 9 ended with the reveal of a mysterious hooded figure, and I believe this villain is a very familiar face.
3Harper Finkle
Harper Is Perhaps The Most Notable Absence In Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
Viewers have seemed most disappointed to discover thatHarper Finkle (Jennifer Stone) has yet to appear onWizards Beyond Waverly Placeand may not have any cameo moving forward. Harper was Alex Russo’s best friend throughout all 4 seasons ofWizards of Waverly Place, and she was arguably as much a member of the Russo family as siblings Justin, Alex, and Max. She was almost always wearing a zany, colorful, highly accessorized outfit, and she played the cheerful goofball opposite Alex’s sarcastic troublemaker personality.
She was also unquestionably a fan favorite, which had many hoping she would return in the reboot show. Part of the reason for Harper’s absence may be the shift in focus fromWizards of Waverly PlacetoWizards Beyond Waverly Place. Alex is not the protagonist in the spin-off series, andit wouldn’t make much sense for Harper to be there when Alex isn’t. It nevertheless remains possible that Harper will make an appearance in the future, which would no doubt delight many viewers.
It nevertheless remains possible that Harper will make an appearance in the future.
2Max Russo
The Youngest Russo Sibling Hasn’t Shown Up Yet
Only two members of the original Russo family haven’t had cameos inWizards Beyond Waverly Placeso far, and one of them is the youngest of the Russo siblings, Max (Jake T. Austin). InWizards of Waverly Place, Max was a fairly typical younger brother, causing trouble and getting under the skin of his siblings. Over the course of the show, Max grew into a teenager who was a bit airheaded at times.
Max was also the sole Russo sibling to lose his powers afterWizards of Waverly Place, as Alex won the Wizard Competition, and Justin got to keep his powers as the headmaster of WizTech. It seems Max didn’t take this too hard, though, asWizards Beyond Waverly Placehas revealed that Max has since become a billionaire.Max hasn’t been seen on the show yet, but his return seems almost guaranteed, particularly given Austin has dropped hints that he will be appearing.
What Happened To Max Russo? His Absence In Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Explained
Max is now a billionaire in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place but is yet to reappear on the sequel show, prompting audiences to wonder where he’s been.
1Theresa Russo
The Russo Siblings' Mom Has Been Absent So Far
The final member of the original Russo family that has yet to appear inWizards Beyond Waverly Placeis the Russo siblings' mortal mom, Theresa(Maria Canals-Barrera). ThroughoutWizards of Waverly Place, Theresa was the no-nonsense parent, especially because, as the only mortal in the family, she had less patience for the kids' magical antics. Even with her at times tough exterior, though, it was clear that she loved her kids and (in all fairness) handled her family members having magical powers incredibly well.
Theresa has been mentioned inWizards Beyond Waverly Place. When Jerry Russo revealed he was working for SPELLP, a helpline for wizards, he explained that he had begun volunteering there as a hobby because Theresa had taken up tennis. Given both parents are together, and Canals-Barrera has appeared in photos alongside theWizards Beyond Waverly Placecast members, it seems safe to assume that the entireWizards of Waverly PlaceRusso family will be reunited inWizards Beyond Waverly Placesoon.
Wizards of Waverly Place
Cast
Released in 2007, Wizards of Waverly Place is a comedy fantasy series created by Todd J. Greenwald for the Disney Channel. The series follows a trio of teenage siblings living in a magical portion of New York City as they train to harness their family’s magical legacy while trying to blend in with everyday people.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place follows adult Justin Russo, who leads a normal life until his sister Alex asks for help with a young wizard-in-training. Justin must revive his magical skills to mentor the trainee while balancing his family life and safeguarding the Wizard World’s future.
