David Henrie credits wine nights with Selena Gomez for 'Wizards Beyond Waverly Place' reboot: 'Why don’t we have the same conversation in front of Disney?'

A new Wizards of Waverly Place series wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Selena Gomez and David Henrie’s casual wine nights, where they would often wonder how their characters, Alex and Justin Russo, are doing today.

“Inevitably, the conversation always goes back to Wizards. We’re always talking about what-ifs: Where would our characters be? What’s going on?” Henrie told Yahoo Entertainment. “It got to a point where I was like, ‘Selena, it’s been 17 years since we first started the show. Why don’t we have the same conversation in front of Disney without wine?”

That’s how Wizards Beyond Waverly Place was born.

The follow-up series to Wizards of Waverly Place, Disney Channel’s classic sitcom that captured tween imagination over four seasons from 2007 to 2012, finds the Russo siblings in a new stage of their adult lives.

Justin (Henrie) is now a married father to two adolescent boys, choosing to lead a normal existence after leaving behind his wizarding days. Alex (Gomez) has taken a young wizard named Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) under her wing, who is in desperate need of direction and guidance. Henrie headlines the series, while Gomez is billed as a recurring guest star; both are executive producers.

Henrie said it was important for the new Wizards of Waverly Place series to tap into what made the original special. He believed the writers treated its themes in a way that was “different” from most kids' shows on the air at the time.

“They believed that kids could handle stories that were a little deeper and went there a little more,” Henrie said. “We had these wonderful themes about family that were always hitting in new ways and got into the emotions. There's a fearlessness to that.”

“We really wanted to carry a lot of that forward into this new show,” he explained. “I’m excited for people to see that we took this responsibility seriously.”

Rebooting a beloved property like Wizards of Waverly Place came with added pressure. It was popular. It catapulted Gomez to superstardom. It existed at a time when tween shows ruled the roost. There were “a lot of challenges” that came into play, Henrie acknowledged. “You can't just do the same thing. You have to try to take that spirit [of the original] and do it in a whole new way,” he said.

The secret was the introduction of the character Billie, who serves as an entry point for a new generation of viewers and is the main catalyst for Justin’s story to unfold.

Henrie said Billie is the “opposite” of everything the Russo family represents, which created opportunities for compelling storylines to explore. “She’s never had stability. She’s never had a family. She’s never found people who believe in her, support her, care for her and accept her,” he explained.

“It was a great vehicle to be able to rebirth wonderful family values because she’s constantly pushing against that,” he added, noting that it’s a character journey that “can last multiple seasons.”

Henrie said the new character “helped ignite the whole engine of the series.”

More than 12 years have passed since audiences last saw Henrie waving the wizard wand. A lot has changed in his own life after he hung up the proverbial wizard’s cape: He got married to his wife, Maria Cahill, in 2017. The couple shares three kids.

Slipping back into Justin’s skin for Wizards Beyond Waverly Place should have been “more difficult than it was” when he stepped onto set for the first time, Henrie admitted. “I think I realized I am Justin Russo. I am a dad. Justin’s a dad. We both care about responsibility, rules, doing things right, discipline and respect. I am high-strung, but I am not as high-strung. Me on 10 cups of coffee is Justin Russo.”

Questions will surface over the circumstances that led Justin to abandon his powers. He’s keeping secrets from his family, namely the fact that his wife and sons aren’t aware he’s a wizard. “Any fans of the original show are going to go, 'What? How is that possible?' That's a big part of the first season,” Henrie said.

“There's a part of his life that he's completely cut out. There's a big scandal in his past and there are reasons for that are going to be very meaningful to the original fans,” he hinted. “This first season is about him reawakening a side of himself that he thought was gone forever.”

Henrie reunites with Gomez in front of the camera in the first episode of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. It remains to be seen if Gomez appears in more episodes down the line. Though the two haven’t acted together since the original series ended over a decade ago, they have maintained a strong friendship over the years.

“There's such a trust there,” Henrie said, likening them to being two peas in a pod. “Both of us are seeing the same things, we’re thinking the same things. It’s kind of like working with a family member. It’s been quite easy.”

As Gomez takes a backseat onscreen as Alex Russo, Henrie promises “everything is not what it seems,” subtly referencing the signature Wizards of Waverly Place theme song, which gets an update for the new series. “She has a large presence and she’s had a voice in keeping her character exactly how she wants [her to be].”

Expect familiar faces from the original Wizards of Waverly Place cast to show up, though the specifics are being kept under wraps for now. Cast member David DeLuise, who portrayed Russo patriarch Jerry, is confirmed to appear during a crucial turning point for Justin’s journey.

“There are some fun throwback episodes,” Henrie teased, pointing to a Sept. 16 Instagram video where he is seen sporting a familiar haircut first introduced to fans in Season 3 of Wizards of Waverly Place. “That’s another one of those where you have to wonder why I’m dressed up like that. ‘What’s going on? Why is he in that look from years ago?’”

Henrie continued, “There are fun episodes that point back to the original, which have been a blast for me and feel like I’m living in the past. I can’t say too much, but watch and see and you’ll understand.”

The first two episodes of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place premieres Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. ET on Disney Channel. The first eight episodes start streaming Oct. 30 on Disney+.