Why Jake T. Austin Didn't Return For Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: 'We Tried To Get Him,' Says David Henrie

Jake T. Austin, who played Max Russo in the original "Wizards of Waverly Place," has expressed his disappointment over his absence from the series finale of Disney+'s "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place." Austin, who was asked back in 2020 to reprise his role, revealed in an Instagram story on August 6 that he was 100% in, but the show's creators decided to move forward without Max's presence.

David Henrie, who co-starred in the original series and served as an executive producer on the reboot, lamented the decision, stating that he would have loved to have Jake on the show. Despite not being involved in the reboot, Austin expressed his love for his former castmates and gratitude to the fans for their support. However, the absence of other original cast members, such as David DeLuise and Dan Benson, was also noted with disappointment.

Even the series' creator, Todd J. Greenwald, expressed regret over the reboot's direction, vowing to ignore the "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" canon.