Wizards of Waverly Place

**Wizards of Waverly Place** is an American fantasy teen sitcom television series created by Todd J. Greenwald. The series aired on Disney Channel from October 12, 2007 to January 6, 2012.

## Plot

Wizards of Waverly Place chronicles the adventures of the Russo Family. The Russos live on Waverly Place in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, above a sandwich shop which they own and run. The family consists of siblings Alex, Justin and Max. The three teenagers are wizards and live with their Italian father, Jerry, a former family wizard and their mortal Mexican mother, Theresa. When the Russo siblings complete their wizard training, they have to participate in a competition to decide who will become the Family Wizard (the one to keep his/her magical powers forever) of their generation, while the others lose their powers and become mortals. Because of this, Jerry tries to teach his children to not become dependent on magic. Since one of them gets to keep their powers, though, Jerry also gives his children wizard lessons (the lessons end mid Season 4). The storage room of the Russo family's sub station is a wizard's lair. In the lair is a Portal which allows them to visit the wizard world and other creatures to visit them. The headmaster of the wizard council, Professor Crumbs, regularly pays visits to the Russo home.

The Russo siblings attend Tribeca Preparatory School with Harper Finkle and constantly encounter their Old West style principal, Mr. Laritate. Because they live in the mortal world, the Russos are required to keep the existence of wizardry a secret. Even so, Alex's best friend, Harper Finkle, discovers the secret in Season 2's episode "Harper Knows". Justin's best friend, Zeke Beakerman, also finds out in Season 4's episode "Zeke Finds Out", along with Alex's boyfriend, Mason Greyback, who is a werewolf, and Justin's girlfriend, Juliet van Heusen, who is a vampire.

## Cast and Characters

### Main

* Selena Gomez as Alex Russo
* David Henrie as Justin Russo
* Jake T. Austin as Max Russo
* Jennifer Stone as Harper Finkle
* Maria Canals Barrera as Theresa Russo
* David DeLuise as Jerry Russo

### Recurring

* Dan Benson as Ezekiel "Zeke" Beakerman
* Bill Chott as Mr. Herschel Laritate
* Gregg Sulkin as Mason Greyback
* Ian Abercrombie as Professor Crumbs
* Bridgit Mendler as Juliet van Heusen
* Amanda Tepe as Monotone Woman
* Daniel Samonas as Dean Moriarty
* Josh Sussman as Hugh Normous
* Frank Pacheco as Felix
* Andy Kindler as Chancellor Rudy Tootietootie
* Jeff Garlin as Uncle Kelbo Russo
* Paulie Litt as Frankie / Joey
* Skyler Samuels as Gertrude "Gigi" Hollingsworth
* Lucy Hale as Miranda Hampson
* Moisés Arias as Conscience
* Hayley Kiyoko as Stevie Nichols
* Kari Wahlgren as Helen
* Bailee Madison as Maxine Russo
* Leven Rambin as Rosie
* John Rubinstein as Garog
* Fred Stoller as Dexter
* Cameron Sanders as Nelvis
* McKaley Miller as Talia Robinson
* JD Cullum and Anne Ramsay as Alucard and Cindy van Heusen
* Brian Kubach as Riley
* Kelsey Sanders and Heather Trzyna as The Wannabes

### Notable Appearances

* Fred Willard as Mr. Stuffleby
* Daryl Sabara as T.J. Taylor
* Michael A. Shepperd as Officer Lamp
* Brian Scolaro as Offier Goblin
* John Eric Bentley as The Mummy
* Adam Irigoyen as Conscience's Conscience
* Zack Shada as Joey
* Chad Duell as Ronald Longcape Jr.
* Maurice Godin as Ronald Longcape Sr.
* Octavia Spencer as Dr. Mary-Beth Evilini
* Perry Mattfeld as Frankengirl / Frankie Stein
* Carrie Genzel as Megan Russo
* Tiffany Thornton as Susan
* Michael Monken as MacGruder
* Bella Thorne as Nancy Lukey
* Richard Chiu as Warren Nichols
* Andy Pessoa as Alfred
* Paulina Olszynski as Tutor Hatchback

## Episodes

See Also: List of Wizards of Waverly Place Episodes

 2 | 30
 3 | 28
 4 | 27

### Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana

See Also: Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana

Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana is a three-way crossover between the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place, The Suite Life on Deck and Hannah Montana.

## Movie

See Also: Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie

The Disney Channel Original Movie, based on the series, premiered on August 28, 2009 on Disney Channel. Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie was filmed in Puerto Rico in the caribe Hilton hotel, Los Angeles and New York City from February 16 to March 27, 2009. The movie received 11.4 million viewers on its premiere, making it the second-most-viewed DCOM premiere in the US after High School Musical 2. It was the seventh-most-watched basic cable telecast in 2009. It won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2010 for "Outstanding Children's Program".

### The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex

See Also: The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex

On September 27, 2012, Disney Channel announced that Wizards of Waverly Place would return for an hour-long special, that began production on October 22, 2012, and ended production on November 10, 2012, for a premiere telecast on the cable channel in early 2013. The special, executive-produced by Selena Gomez, alongside series executive producers Vince Cheung and Ben Montanio (who also co-wrote the special with Dan Berendsen), centres on the Russos', Mason and Harper's visit to Italy to meet long-lost relatives from Jerry's side of the family. In an attempt to prove to her family that she's not merely a carefree wizard, Alex inadvertently casts a spell that creates two versions of her with differing personalities: an evil version of Alex that ends up involved in another wizard's (Dominic) plan for world domination and a good version who upon discovering the wizard's plan, tries to find a way to save her family and mankind, leading to a literal battle between good and evil atop the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The film is titled The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex and premiered on March 15, 2013.

## Music

See Also: Wizards of Waverly Place Soundtrack

The soundtrack album for the hit Disney Channel Original Series of the same name. The album was released as a physical CD, enhanced CD and digital on August 4, 2009, under Walt Disney Records. The album includes songs from and inspired by the TV series and Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie.

In response to the soundtrack, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic recognised Wizards for its "teen revamps of boomer classics that parents can enjoy too". He also stated that the album is "agreeable" and that Selena Gomez "inevitably stands out from the pack". However, Erlewine said, "the dang-awful version of America's "You Can Do Magic" by Drew Seeley is sunk by its hyper-claustrophobic rhythms, the biggest rearrangement of a tune here and easily the worst cut."

## International Adaptation

In August 2019, Disney Channel Asia announced a Malaysian version of the show, titled Wizards of Warna Walk. The show premiered on August 30, 2019.

## Production

This series was created and as produced by Todd J. Greenwald, who began developing the show after working as a writer and consulting producer during the first season of Hannah Montana. The show is produced by It's a Laugh Productions and Disney Channel Original Productions. The theme song, "Everything Is Not What It Seems", written by John Adair and Steve Hampton, is of techno-pop style and is performed by Selena Gomez. The series was filmed at Hollywood Center Studios in Hollywood, California.

### Opening Sequence

Gomez's rendition of "Everything Is Not What It Seems"; it shows Alex, Justin, Max and Harper engaging in magical antics while preparing for school in the morning. The fourth season began using a slightly altered version of the song, and a different sequence involving the cast, who all appear in Times Square at the end of the sequence with Alex waving her wand.

## Broadcast

The show aired worldwide on Disney Channel. It premiered on October 12, 2007 in Pakistan. In Australia it premiered on October 19, 2007 and it also aired on Seven Network starting on October 4, 2008. It premiered on the same date in New Zealand and first aired on FOUR on February 4, 2009. It premiered on October 26, 2007 on Family in Canada. In the United Kingdom, it started airing on November 4, 2007 and it also airs on Channel 5. It premiered on November 3, 2007 in Ireland and also aired on TRTÉ. It premiered in Southeast Asia on March 9, 2008. It first aired in India and Bangladesh on May 5, 2008. In South Africa it premiered on June 22, 2008.

## Reception

### Ratings

The show debuted on Disney Channel on October 12, 2007 after the premiere of Twitches Too, gathering 5.9 million viewers. In January 2010, "Wizards vs. Werewolves" one-hour special episode became the series' most-watched (non-crossover) episode with 6.2 million viewers, surpassing the 6 million viewers of "Paint By Committee" episode The series' most watched episode, including crossovers, was "Cast-Away (To Another Show)" episode, which was included in the special trilogy of crossover episodes between three Disney Channel original sitcoms, Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana. The broadcast was watched by 10.6 million viewers. In 2009, the series was the top scripted telecast for teens between the age of 9-14 (1.63 million/6.7 rating) and second in kids 6-11 (1.81 million/7.4 rating), which was only slightly behind The Suite Life on Deck (1.82 million/7.4 rating.)

## DVD Releases

See Also: Wizards of Waverly Place Discography

## Other Media

### Merchandise

A video game based on the series was released in August 2009.

## Awards and Nominations

**Films:** Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie
**Video:** Wizards of Waverly Place Videography
**Music:** Wizards of Waverly Place Soundtrack
**Seasons:** Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4
**Episodes:** List of Wizards of Waverly Place Episodes