“Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” star and showrunner deny Jake T. Austin’s claim he wasn’t ‘included’ in revival plans

Wesley StenzelSat, August 8, 2026 at 12:30 AM UTC

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David Henrie on ‘Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’; Jake T. Austin in Los Angeles in 2020Credit: Disney/Eric McCandless; Albert L. Ortega/GettyKey points -

Jake T. Austin said his character wasn’t included in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place despite him being “100% in” to join the revival series.

Wizards star David Henrie said Austin “didn’t accept our numerous offers to join the new show.”

Showrunner Scott Thomas also claimed that “Jake was asked multiple times by many people.”

Jake T. Austin has said he was excluded from the Wizards of Waverly Place revival — but two of the key people involved in the follow-up show are refuting that claim.

Austin, the former Disney Channel star, said he was “disappointed” to “have not been included” in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place shortly after the revival show dropped its final four episodes on Disney+ this week. He claimed that he was “100% in” to reprise his role as Max on the show, but it was taken “in a different direction” that didn’t include his character.

David Henrie, who starred on Beyond Waverly Place and served as an executive producer, posted a message on his Instagram Stories on Friday suggesting that Austin’s claims do not reflect reality.

Jake T. Austin and David Henrie on ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’Credit: Adam Rose/Disney Channel via Getty

“I woulda loved to have Max back but sadly he didn’t accept our numerous offers to join the new show,” Henrie claimed. “We called him, texted, went through agents etc. I would have loved for this new generation of millions of kids to get to meet Max, but I respect his decision and wish him all the best!”

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place showrunner Scott Thomas backed Henrie’s claims in a post on X. “I’m one of the Wizards showrunners so I can confirm that David Henrie is correct,” he wrote. “Jake was asked multiple times by many people. Really wanted him back. No response.”

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Entertainment Weekly has reached out to representatives for Austin for comment.

Austin portrayed Max, the brother of Justin (Henrie) and Alex (Selena Gomez), on all four seasons of the original Disney Channel show, plus a 2009 TV movie and the 2012 special The Wizards Return. Henrie headlined Beyond, and Gomez reprised her role in a few guest appearances, but Austin never appeared on the show.

David Henrie on InstagramCredit: David Henrie/Instagram

“To all the Wizard fans, just wanted to say for the record how disappointed I am to have not been included in the spinoff,” Austin recently wrote on his Instagram Stories. “I was asked back in 2020 if I was interested in reprising my role and said that I was 100% in. Unfortunately, the powers that be decided to take the show in a different direction and my character wasn’t part of the equation.”

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He added, “Even though I wasn’t involved, I still have nothing but love for my former castmates and wish them continued success.”

on Entertainment Weekly

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