Don’t count out Wizards Beyond Waverly Place — a movie could happen

If you thought Wizards Beyond Waverly Place was fully wrapped up after its extended finale, David Henrie is here to say—maybe not. The actor (who you will remember as Justin Russo) and now executive producer is dropping some hefty hints about a possible future for the franchise, and if you’re nostalgic for those wizard family shenanigans, there’s a bit to chew on.

A Finale... and a Tease

The spinoff wrapped its 34-episode run on Disney+ with a mammoth four-part finale that ticked off most of the major plotlines fans have been chasing. If you missed it: the Russos actually managed to save Selena Gomez’s Alex Russo from a portal mess, and Billie finally found her long-lost dad in Wizcatraz. Quite a bit for any magical family to handle in one go.

David Henrie shared with TheWrap about what comes next: 'I could totally see a movie. We got to see how these episodes do, and people got to get excited for them.'

David Henrie, being very strategic, made sure the last scene of the finale included a little nod back to the family wizard competition. Yes, the exact stuff they used to resolve the original series. He thinks this could lay the groundwork for a film—a direct nod to the 2009 made-for-TV movie Disney squeezed out from the original show. Not just that, he’s already daydreaming about shooting in Italy for it. Setting his sights high, honestly—Italy is a long way from Waverly Place.

Returns, Absences, and Directing Debuts

A few more things to note: several familiar faces made their way back for the closer, including Jennifer Stone (Harper Finkle), Gregg Sulkin (Mason), and Maria Canals-Barrera (Theresa). David DeLuise didn’t turn up as Jerry this time, but it wasn’t for lack of trying—Henrie said everyone got an invite, but 'people are busy.' That’s how it goes in reunion land.

The other big bit: Selena Gomez didn’t just return in front of the camera but actually took her first crack at directing during the finale as well. By Henrie’s account, she wasn’t shy about making her voice heard as a director, describing her as 'very opinionated' and, 99.99% of the time, 'exactly right.' That sounds about right for someone who survived years of Disney Channel dialogue and came out the other end sane.

• Four-part series finale airs on Disney+
• Key character arcs: Alex rescued, Billie finds her dad
• Jennifer Stone, Gregg Sulkin, Maria Canals-Barrera appear
• David DeLuise misses the finale
• Selena Gomez directs for the first time
• Henrie hints at a new wizard competition film (possibly shot in Italy)

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place totals 34 episodes across its Disney+ run.

If you’re tracking what’s next for Henrie, he’s pivoting from family spells to shootouts—he’s starring in a Western called Angel and the Badman. For that, he’ll be sharing the screen with Zachary Levi, Neal McDonough, and Tommy Lee Jones, all under his own shingle, Novo Inspire Studios. Not a bad shift from New York sandwich shops, is it?