Not Done Yet, Disney Channel Scores Win Over Disney+

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Mickey Mouse looking shocked

Credit: Disney

Streaming services might have regular TV on the ropes, but Disney Channel just threw a sucker punch at Disney+ with Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

A 3D logo of the Disney Channel, featuring a stylized, white 'Disney' script with a classic Mickey Mouse silhouette above the 'i', set against a vibrant blue gradient background.
Credit: Disney Channel

The Disney Channel launched in 1983 and began as a basic cable network focused on children’s programming. Its early success was driven by shows like Ducktales and Lizzie McGuire in the ’90s. However, the channel arguably reached its apex in the late ’90s and throughout the 2000s with shows like Hanna Montana, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and Wizards of Waverly Place.

Related: ‘Hannah Montana’ Made Miley Cyrus Never Want to Tour Again

As rumors of a Disney Channel shutdown this September continue to spiral, it seems like the television icon has one last trick up its sleeve before any real damage occurs. Streaming might be taking over our screens, but not without a fight—or a little extra Disney magic.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Launches Disney Channel Comeback

Wizards of Waverly Place
Credit: Disney

If you were a die-hard Disney Channel kid, you knew who Selena Gomez was before her music career took off or her starring role in Only Murders in the Building. Before all of that, she was Alex Russo, one of the three siblings on Wizards of Waverly Place, and the show is making a comeback in a big way.

Related: ‘Ducktales’ Star Joins Strike Outside Disney Studio

Wizards of Waverly Place followed the Russo family; three siblings who discover they have magical powers. The show focused on Alex Russo (Selena Gomez), the middle child, as she navigates her teenage life while keeping her magical abilities a secret.

Alex and Justin with Disney+ logo
Credit: Edited by Inside the Magic

As one of Disney’s Emmy-winning series, it makes sense that the studio would want to return to something that has a history of performing well. Given the wave of similar announcements post-Flop-Era, this new revival follows in the footsteps of recent Disney successes like Inside Out 2 (2024).

Related: Disney+ Subscribers May Lose Hulu Streaming Services, Purchase in Jeopardy

A recent announcement from The Walt Disney Company shared the following update, revealing more details for the long-awaited revival. The report makes the following statement:

“Wizards Beyond Waverly Place follows an adult Justin Russo (David Henrie), who has chosen to lead a normal, mortal life with his family: Giada (Mimi Gianopulos), Roman (Alkaio Thiele), and Milo (Max Matenko). When Justin’s sister, Alex Russo (guest star Selena Gomez), brings Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) to his home seeking help, Justin realizes he must dust off his magical skills to mentor the wizard-in-training while also juggling his everyday responsibilities — and safeguarding the future of the Wizard World.”

Strange Magic

Selena Gomez in Only Murders in the Building
Credit: Hulu

At first glance, the new series seems to follow the formula held by shows like Girl Meets World and Raven’s Home, having familiar Disney Channel characters as adults. However, it also sounds like the series might deviate from the norm by having the adults play a bigger role than just the parents in the room.

Related: Marvel’s Ant-Man Coming to Disney XD in Animated Shorts

According to Disney, the new series will premiere on October 30 on Disney Channel before heading to Disney+. Disney also shared that beginning November 8, episode premieres move to Fridays with two episodes weekly, launching further interest in the channel.

Although viewers truly won’t know until the series debuts on October 29, 2024, it’s worth noting that the studio decided to launch the premiere on Disney Channel rather than the arguably more popular Disney+. This could mean The Walt Disney Company isn’t finished with the older platform yet.

Were you a Disney Channel kid? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!

 

 

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