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Selena Gomez's Return to Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Is Full of Magical Easter Eggs
The Russos are headed back to Waverly Place once more.
The Wizards of Waverly Place sequel series Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is set to return for a final season three this summer, Disney confirmed April 2.
The show will conclude in a four-part event, with the first episode directed by Selena Gomez, who starred on the original series and reprised her role of Alex Russo alongside David Henrie, who played Justin Russo.
Season two of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place revealed that Alex was the mom of Billie Russo (Janice LeAnn Brown), and Alex sacrificed herself to keep Billie safe from her evil paternal grandfather in the season finale.
As for where the characters find themselves in season three? While Billie is still reeling from the loss of her mother, she discovers the only way the two can be reunited is to find her long-lost father.
“As her family bands together to find Alex,” the season’s longline continues, per Variety, “Billie realizes that their combined power is the only way the Russos can defeat the evil plaguing them.”
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place first premiered in 2024 with a 21-episode season one, followed by a 10-episode season two. The show continued the story of the Russo family, which fans first experienced in Wizards of Waverly Place, which ran on Disney Channel from 2007 to 2012.
Since the original series ended, Selena has been candid about how much the show meant to her.
Disney/Eric McCandless
“I felt like I bonded with everyone,” the 33-year-old shared with former costars Jennifer Stone and David DeLuise on their Wizards of Waverly Pod podcast in 2023. “Little did I know that I ended up with everyone I needed to be in my life. I think I felt safe, and that's a really hard thing for me to feel. I know that you guys love me for me.”
Selena added, “You guys genuinely loved me, and that's all I could have asked for, the unconditional trust and bond we had, I miss so much.”
Disney/Eric McCandless
In fact, the “Who Says” singer “felt like I was the happiest I had been my whole life” while working on the series.
“I recognize that obviously it's because I have this different attention on me that I just didn't have then,” she continued, “and that was a really pure time, and I miss that.”
For a look at which of your favorite shows have been canceled or renewed so far this year, keep reading.
Disney/Eric McCandless
RENEWED: Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
The Wizards of Waverly Place sequel will return for season three this summer in a four-part event, with the first episode directed by Selena Gomez.
Netflix
RENEWED: Age of Attraction
Get ready to fall in love with some new age-gap couples because Netflix's new reality dating show has been renewed for a season two.
Matt Barnes/CBS
ENDING: DMV
CBS terminated the workplace comedy costarring Molly Kearney, Gigi Zumbado, Tony Cavaleiro, Alex Tarrant, Harriet Dyer and Tim Meadows after one season.
Disney/Anne Marie Fox
RENEWED: Grey's Anatomy
No emergency here. ABC's longest-running scripted drama will return for seson 23.
Sergei Bachlakov/CBS
ENDING: Watson
The modern take on Sherlock Holmes' story, with Morris Chestnut starring as the detective's fame sidekick Dr. John Watson, was canceled after two seasons.
CBS Media Ventures/Paramount
RENEWED: Flip Side
Hosted by Jaleel White, the game show was renewed for a third season by CBS Media Ventures.
CBS Media Ventures/Paramount
RENEWED: Wheel of Fortune
"America's favorite game show" will be back with more head-scratching word puzzles with seasons 44 and 45.
CBS Media Ventures/Paramount
RENEWED: Hot Bench
The daytime court show will lay down more justice when season 13 debuts.
Michael Yarish/Paramount+
RENEWED: Criminal Minds: Evolution
The long-running FBI drama will solve more heinous crimes and murders when season 20 debuts on Paramount+ in 2027.
Apple TV
RENEWED & ENDING: For All Mankind
Apple TV announced the space drama will return for a sixth and final season.
HBO Max
ENDING: Hacks
The Emmy-winning comedy starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder returns with its fifth and final season April 9.
Peacock/NBCUniversal
RENEWED: Ashanti and Nelly: We Belong Together
Music to our ears! The Peacock reality series following Ashanti and Nelly's decades-long love story will return for season two.
Sophy Holland/Bravo
ON PAUSE: The Real Housewives of Miami
The Bravo series has halted production after season seven ended in October due to low ratings, according to multiple outlets. Fingers crossed we get our drama-loving Florida ladies back ASAP.
Ryan Muir/TBS/Warner Bros. Discovery
RENEWED: Impractical Jokers
Comedians Brian “Q” Quinn, James “Murr” Murray and Sal Vulcano will return for more laughs and pranks when season 13 of the TBS series premieres.
Prime Video/Amazon MGM Studios
RENEWED: Cross
Prime Video's thriller series will solve more mysteries and murder cases on season three.
Netflix
NOT ENDING, BUT...: With Love, Meghan
The royal's Netflix series With Love, Meghan, which released seasons one and two in 2025, has not been renewed for a third season on the streaming platform, but is instead continuing with one-off episodes.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes told Variety in a story published March 17, “With Love, Meghan will continue as seasonal specials.”
Disney/Anne Marie Fox
RENEWED: Paradise
The post-apocalyptic drama starring Sterling K. Brown will return for season three on Hulu.
Ben Symons/Peacock
RENEWED: Love Island USA & Love Island: Beyond the Villa
Peacock's hit dating reality competition series and its spinoff will return this year for seasons eight and two, respectively.
Sonja Flemming/CBS
RENEWED: Marshals
The Duttons aren't going anywhere. The Yellowstone spinoff starring Luke Grimes was renewed for a second season at CBS.
Paramount/CBS Media Ventures
RENEWED: The Drew Barrymore Show
Drew Barrymore's eponymous daytime talk show will be back for seasons seven and eight.
AMC Networks
RENEWED: The Audacity
The new AMC drama has already been renewed for a second season ahead of its season one debut in April.
Prime Video/Amazon MGM Studios
ENDING: The Boys
In the fifth and final season, it’s Homelander’s world, completely subject to his erratic, egomaniacal whims. Hughie, Mother’s Milk, and Frenchie are imprisoned in a “Freedom Camp.” Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force. Kimiko is nowhere to be found. But when Butcher reappears, ready and willing to use a virus that will wipe all Supes off the map, he sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change the world and everyone in it. It’s the climax, people. Big stuff’s gonna happen.
MTV/Paramount Networks
ENDING: Jersey Shore Family Vacation
Get ready to GTL one last time. MTV announced the upcoming eighth season of the reality show will be it's last.
The final season premieres May 7.
Disney
RENEWED: Abbott Elementary
School will be back in session when Quinta Brunson's Emmy-winning ABC comedy returns for season six.
NBC
RENEWED: Destination X
NBC has renewed the travel and adventure reality competition series for a sophomore season.
Netflix
RENEWED: Little House on the Prairie
Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s enduring book series has been renewed for season two ahead of its season one debut.
Simon Ridgway/HBO
RENEWED & ENDING: Industry
The HBO drama will return for a fifth and final season sometime next year.
MGM+/Amazon MGM Studios
RENEWED: Robin Hood
MGM+ has renewed the adventure drama for season two.
Warner Bros.
RENEWED: The Jennifer Hudson Show
Jennifer Hudson's eponymous talk show will return for season five.
Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
ENDING: The Kelly Clarkson Show
Kelly Clarkson's NBC daytime talk show will conclude later this year after season seven. And while the musician noted that it was "not an easy decision" to say goodbye, she revealed that she ultimately chose to walk away to focus on her kids River, 11, and Remington, 9, who she shared with late ex-husband Brandon Blackstock.
"Stepping away from the daily schedule will allow me to prioritize my kids, which feels necessary and right for this next chapter of our lives," Kelly wrote in a statement on X Feb. 2. "This isn't goodbye. I'll still be making music, playing shows here and there, and you may catch me on The Voice from time to time."
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