Wizards of Waverly Place

{{#if: {{{executive|{{{coexecutive|{{{supervising|{{{consulting|}}}}}}}}}}}}| ! style="font-size: 100%; background: #483D8B; text-align: center; color:;" colspan="2" {{!}}Production {{!}}- {{#if: {{{Original channel| - }}} | ! Original channel {{!}} Disney Channel {{!}}- }} {{#if: {{{Original run| - }}} | ! Picture format {{!}} Season 1-2; SDTV NTSC;480i PAL;576i Season 3-present; HDTV 720p (USA and Asia) 1080i (International) {{!}}- }} {{#if: {{{Original run| - }}} | ! Audio format {{!}} Stereo {{!}}- }} {{#if:{{{Status| - }}} | ! Original run {{!}} October 12, 2007 – present {{!}}- }}- {{#if:{{{Production company| - }}} | ! Status {{!}} Current (Currently airing: season 4) Wizards of Waverly Place is a Disney Channel Original television series that premiered on October 12, 2007. It won "Outstanding Children's Program" at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards in 2009. A film adaptation of the series, Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie, premiered as a Disney Channel Original Movie on August 28, 2009; In 2010, the film adaptation won "Outstanding Children's Program" at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards.
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The series was created by Todd J. Greenwald, and stars Selena Gomez, David Henrie and Jake T. Austin as three wizard siblings with magical abilities competing to win sole custody of the family powers. Further main cast includes Jennifer Stone, María Canals Barrera and David DeLuise. In June 2010, Disney Channel renewed the series for a fourth season. Gomez confirmed in an interview that the fourth season will be the show's final season.

Premise
Set on Waverly Place in Manhattan, New York's Greenwich Village neighborhood, Wizards of Waverly Place centers on the Italian-Mexican Russo family, which includes Alex (Selena Gomez), her older brother Justin (David Henrie), and their younger brother Max (Jake T. Austin). The three Russo siblings are wizards in training and live with their Italian-American father Jerry (David DeLuise), a former wizard, and their Mexican-American mother, Theresa (María Canals Barrera) who is a mortal. Alex's best friend Harper (Jennifer Stone) also found out about the Russos' wizard powers in the Season 2 episode "Harper Knows". The siblings have to keep their secret safe while living in the mortal world. When they all complete their wizard training, the three siblings will have a wizard competition to decide who will become the family wizard of their generation and keep their powers forever while the others will lose their powers for good and become mortal. Because of this, Jerry is always trying to get the kids not to rely on magic, because they might not have it someday.

Production
The series was created and as executive produced by Todd J. Greenwald, who began developing the show after working as a writer and consulting producer during the first season of Hannah Montana. The show is produced by It's a Laugh Productions and Disney Channel Original Productions. The theme song, "Everything Is Not What It Seems", written by John Adair and Steve Hampton, is of techno-pop style and is performed by Selena Gomez & the Scene. The series is filmed at Hollywood Center Studios in Hollywood, California.

Seasons 1-3
For the first three seasons the show used the same title sequence. The song is called "Everything Is Not What It Seems" by Selena Gomez. In this it shows Alex, Justin, Max and Harper in the morning before school. Alex is using magic to change the clock. Justin used magic to trap Alex in the mirror for shoving him out of the way. Max also uses magic to change his orange his mother gave him into a cupcake. However, he changes it back when his mother catches him. Harper is not a wizard so she uses no magic at all. It ends by Alex, Justin, Max and Harper leaving to go to school then the title "Wizards Of Waverly Place" appears.

Season 4
In the fourth season of the show the title sequence has changed. The song is the same although slightly altered. In the title sequence they show a crystal ball where the characters appear. In the crystal ball, they show small clips of the show which includes the actor the name reads. Although it is a clip, the actors don't speak as the music covers the voices. At the end all 6 characters (Alex, Justin, Max, Harper, Theresa and Jerry) who are included in the opening sequence appear. Alex waves her wand and the logo "Wizards Of Waverly Place" appears.

Reception
The show debuted on Disney Channel on October 12, 2007 after the premiere of Twitches Too, gathering 5.9 million viewers. In February 2009, the episode "Helping Hand" broke the record for the largest audience in the 7:00 PM (Eastern Time) time period on the Disney Channel, with a total of 4.5 million viewers. In January 2010, "Wizards vs. Werewolves" one-hour special episode became the series' most-watched episode with 6.2 million viewers, surpassing the 6 million viewers of "Paint By Committee" episode In 2009, the series was the top scripted telecast for teens between the age of 9-14 (1.63 million/6.7 rating) and second in kids 6-11 (1.81 million/7.4 rating), which was only slightly behind “The Suite Life on Deck” (1.82 million/7.4 rating.) The episodes "Wizards vs. Angels" one-hour special episode became the season 4's most watched episode until now, with 5.13 million viewers.

Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie
The Disney Channel Original Movie, based on the series, premiered on August 28, 2009 on Disney Channel. Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie was filmed in Puerto Rico, Los Angeles, and New York City from February 16 to March 27, 2009. The movie received 11.4 million viewers on its premiere, making it the second-most-viewed DCOM premiere in the US after High School Musical 2. It was also one of the top scripted telecasts in 2009. It won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2010 for "Outstanding Children's Program". Development of a sequel movie was announced June 2, 2010 by Disney. This has also been confirmed by an interview with Selena Gomez. Dan Berendsen was to return as script writer for the film. Since that announcement, no other updates were made about the sequel. On April 25, 2011, Selena Gomez confirmed in an interview that the proposed sequel was canceled.

Main

 * Selena Gomez as Alex Russo
 * David Henrie as Justin Russo
 * Jake T. Austin as Max Russo
 * Jennifer Stone as Harper Finkle
 * María Canals Barrera as Theresa Russo
 * David DeLuise as Jerry Russo

Recurring

 * Dan Benson as Zachary "Zeke" Beakerman
 * Ian Abercrombie as Professor Crumbs
 * Moisés Arias as Conscience (season 3)
 * Gregg Sulkin as Mason Greyback (seasons 3-4)
 * Bill Chott as Mr. Hershel Laritate
 * Jeff Garlin as Uncle Kelbo (seasons 1-3)
 * Lucy Hale as Miranda Hampson (season 1)
 * Andy Kindler as Chancellor Rudy Tootietootie (seasons 3-4)
 * Hayley Kiyoko as Stevie Nichols (season 3)
 * Paulie Litt as Frankie/Joey (seasons 1, 3)
 * Bailee Madison as Maxine Russo (season 4)
 * Bridgit Mendler as Juliet Van Heusen (seasons 2-3)


 * McKaley Miller as Talia (season 4)
 * Frank Pacheco as Felix (season 4)
 * Andy Pessoa as Alfred (season 2)
 * Leven Rambin as Rosie (season 4)
 * Daryl Sabara as T.J. Taylor (seasons 1-2)
 * Daniel Samonas as Dean Moriarty (seasons 2 and 4)
 * Skyler Samuels as Gertrude "Gigi" Hollingsworth (seasons 1-2)
 * Josh Sussman as Hugh Normous (seasons 1-2)
 * Amanda Tepe as Monotone Lady (seasons 1-2)
 * Fred Willard as Mr. Stuffleby (seasons 2-3)
 * Nick Roux as Chase (seasons 4)

Soundtrack
The soundtrack album for the hit Disney Channel Original Series of the same name. The album was released as a physical CD, enhanced CD and digital on August 4, 2009, under Walt Disney Records. The album includes songs from and inspired by the TV series and Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie.

In response to the soundtrack, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic recognized Wizards for its "teen revamps of boomer classics that parents can enjoy too". He also stated that the album is "agreeable" and that Selena Gomez "inevitably stands out from the pack". However, Erlewine said: "the dang-awful version of America's "You Can Do Magic" by Drew Seeley is sunk by its hyper-claustrophobic rhythms, the biggest rearrangement of a tune here and easily the worst cut."

Video game
A video game based on the series was released in August 2009.

Season releases
The show's complete first season was released on September 10, 2009 in Germany, on October 1, 2009 in Spain, on March 3, 2010 in France and on March 12, 2010 in Poland. The first season of the show was released in volumes in Brazil on October 5, 2009.