Selena Gomez as Alex Russo in Wizards Beyond Waverly PlaceWizards Beyond Waverly Place‘s first reviews are in, and critics agree the Disney+ sequel series is a spellbinding success. Serving as a spin-off and sequel to Wizards of Waverly Place, the Disney Channel series follows a new talented young wizard named Billie who is sent by Alex Russo to her brother Justin for training, pulling him back into the wizarding world he left behind for a quiet life with his family. Wizards Beyond Waverly Place‘s cast includes Janice LeAnn Brown, Alkaio Thiele, Max Matenko, Taylor Cora, Mimi Gianopulos, David Henrie, Selena Gomez, Maria Canals-Barrera, David DeLuise, and Jake T. Austin.

Following its premiere on October 29, the first reviews for Wizards Beyond Waverly Place are in, and critics agree that the sequel series is a spellbinding success. Screen Rant‘s Abigail Stevens calls it “a delightful Disney Channel revival with unbelievably funny kids” that is both “heartwarming and hilarious.” The new series “boasts a wickedly funny cast that mirrors the original,” “sets up some more serious emotional throughlines,” and “balances nostalgia and new magic for classic Disney Channel fans.”

What Critics Are Saying About Wizards Beyond Waverly Place

It Recreates Much Of The Magic

David Henrie as Justin Russo in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
Selena Gomez in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place First Look David Henrie as Justin and Janice LeAnn Brown as Billie in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place David Henrie as Justin Russo in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place (1) Selena Gomez as Alex Russo David Henrie as Justin Russo and Janice LeAnn Brown as Billie looking shocked in Wizards Beyond Waverly PlaceDavid Henrie as Justin Russo in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
Selena Gomez in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place First Look David Henrie as Justin and Janice LeAnn Brown as Billie in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place David Henrie as Justin Russo in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place (1) Selena Gomez as Alex Russo David Henrie as Justin Russo and Janice LeAnn Brown as Billie looking shocked in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place

Overall, critics are in agreement that Wizards Beyond Waverly Place successfully recreates much of the magic that made the original series so beloved. Putting it simply, Sioux City Journal‘s Bruce Miller says “Beyond Waverly has the same charms as the original Place.” However, the new series also provides an entry point for new audiences, as Decider‘s Joel Keller writes, “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place will give the adults who were fans of the original series the proper nostalgia hit, but it also has more than enough laughs for the kids who are entering this world for the first time.”

Many of the reviews mention how Selena Gomez’s Alex Russo doesn’t appear very much, though it’s debatable whether this hurts the series. Collider‘s Marisa Williams says, “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place might be missing out without Selena Gomez,” though the series still “embraces nostalgia in all the right places” and, as a result, “the magic mostly returns.” Similarly, Variety‘s Aramide Tinubu calls it “a hilariously magical reboot even if Selena Gomez isn’t around much.”

Instead of Selena Gomez’s Alex, David Henrie’s Justin is more the focus this time around, who, according to FlickDirect‘s Allison Rose, is “the same goofy, dorky, lovable older brother we remember from the original Wizards of Waverly Place.” However, every critic isn’t in complete agreement about the sequel series, as DiscussingFilm‘s Beatrine Shahzad says it “doesn’t quite recreate what made Wizards of Waverly Place so special. Nonetheless, this new series casts a comforting magic of its own.” Now that Wizards Beyond Waverly Place has premiered, audiences can watch the series and form their opinions.