Emmy-nominated actor, 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!,” guest-hosted by her “Only Murders in the Building” co-star Martin Short, and talked about how much the show means to her.
“I will be in the first episode, I’m executive producing it, and it brings me to tears because that is where I started, and to honor it in this way has truly been a blast, and I just can’t wait to release it,” she said.
Selena Gomez and David Henrie reprise the roles of sister and brother Alex and Justin Russo in “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.”
(Eric McCandless / Disney)
The spin-off will follow an adult Justin Russo — Alex’s brother, played once again by actor David Henrie — who has given up his wizard powers for a normal life with his wife and two sons. According to Deadline, an emergency at Wiztech brings a young wizard to his door in need of training. Justin must return to his magical roots and help save the Wizard World.
Gomez announced the series onstage during the Disney upfront in May. The actor also offered first-look photos of the new show and its official logo. The event also introduced the new cast members, including lead 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, Gomez, along with actors Zoe Saldaña and Karla Sofía Gascón, earned the biggest standing ovation at this year’s Cannes Film Festival for their performance in the musical drama “Emilia Perez.” Gomez also received the award for best actress at the festival, where she appeared tearful with her co-stars amid overwhelming praise for the film.