Wizards of Waverly Place

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For other uses, see Wizards of Waverly Place (disambiguation).
Wizards of Waverly Place

Genre Family sitcom fantasy

Created by Todd J. Greenwald
Selena Gomez
David Henrie
Jake T. Austin
Starring Jennifer Stone
Maria Canals Barrera

David DeLuise
John Adair
Theme music
composer
Steve Hampton
Opening "Everything Is Not What It Seems" performed by Selena
theme Gomez
Country of
United States
origin
Original
English
language(s)
No. of
4
seasons
No. of
106 (list of episodes)
episodes
Production
Todd J. Greenwald
Peter Murrieta (seasons 13)
Executive
producer(s)
Vince Cheung
Ben Montanio
Camera setup Videotape; Multi-camera
Running time 23 minutes
Production
company(s) It's a Laugh Productions
Distributor DisneyABC Domestic Television
Release
Original
Disney Channel
network
 Seasons 12; SDTV
NTSC;480i
PAL;576i
Picture
Seasons 34; HDTV
format
720p (USA and Asia)

1080i (International)
Audio format Dolby Digital 5.1
Original
October 12, 2007 January 6, 2012
release
Chronology
Related Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie (film)
shows The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex (special)
External links
Official
disneychannel.disney.com/wizards-of-waverly-place
website

Wizards of Waverly Place is an American fantasy teen sitcom which ran from October
12, 2007 to January 6, 2012 on Disney Channel. 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, Maria Canals Barrera, and David DeLuise.

The series 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. The film adaptation won
"Outstanding Children's Program" at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards earning the
series its second consecutive Emmy. The farewell season won "Outstanding Children's
Program" at the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards bringing the franchise's total to three
Emmy awards. Wizards of Waverly Place ended with 106 episodes over four seasons,
surpassing That's So Raven. Its series finale averaged nearly 10 million viewers (live and
total views on same day), which made that episode the most-watched series finale in
Disney Channel's history.

On March 15, 2013, The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex premiered as a one-hour television
special.[1][2][3]

Premise
Wizards of Waverly Place chronicles the adventures of the Russo Family. The Russos live
on Waverly Place in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, above a sandwich shop which they
own and run. The family consists of siblings Alex (Selena Gomez), Justin (David
Henrie), and Max (Jake T. Austin). The three teenagers are wizards and live with their
Italian father, Jerry (David DeLuise), a former family wizard, and their mortal Mexican
mother, Theresa (Maria Canals Barrera). When the Russo siblings complete their wizard
training, they have to participate in a competition to decide who will become the Family
Wizard (the one to keep his/her magical powers forever) of their generation, while the
others lose their powers and become mortals. Because of this, Jerry tries to teach his
children to not become dependent on magic. Since one of them gets to keep their powers,
though, Jerry also gives his children wizard lessons (the lessons end mid Season four).
The storage room of the Russo family's sub station is a wizard's lair. In the lair is a Portal
which allows them to visit the wizard world, and other creatures to visit them. The
headmaster of the wizard council, Professor Crumbs (Ian Abercrombie), regularly pays
visits to the Russo home.

The Russo siblings attend Tribeca Preparatory School and constantly encounter their Old
West style principal, Mr. Laritate (Bill Chott). Because they live in the mortal world, the
Russos are required to keep the existence of wizardry a secret. Even so, Alex's best
friend, Harper Finkle (Jennifer Stone), discovers the secret in Season 2's episode "Harper
Knows". Justin's best friend, Zeke Beakerman (Dan Benson), also finds out in Season 4's
episode "Zeke Finds Out", along with Alex's boyfriend, Mason Greyback (Gregg Sulkin),
who is a werewolf and Justin's girlfriend, Juliet van Heusen (Bridgit Mendler), who is a
vampire.