{
  "id": 271027,
  "title": "Why Jake T. Austin Didn't Return For Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: 'We Tried To Get Him,' Says David Henrie",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/why-jake-t-austin-didnt-return-for-wizards-beyond-waverly-place-we",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-07T15:42:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TVLine",
    "slug": "tvline",
    "url": "https://www.tvline.com/2232453/jake-t-austin-wizards-beyond-waverly-place-absence-explained/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "Jake T. Austin expressed disappointment that his character, Max Russo, was not included in the Wizards of Waverly Place spinoff, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. According to TheWrap, Austin had agreed to return when the idea was first floated in 2020, but ultimately the show went in a different direction and his character wasn't part of it.\n\nDavid Henrie, who played Justin Russo in the original series, told TVLine that it just didn't work out to include Austin in the spinoff. Austin shared a statement on his Instagram Story saying he was 100% in to reprise his role, but the powers that be decided to take the show in a different direction.\n\nAustin wished his former castmates continued success and thanked fans for their support over the years. TheWrap reported that Austin's character was notably absent from the sequel series, which concluded its three-season run.",
  "key_points": [
    "Jake T. Austin initially wanted to return for \"Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.\"",
    "David Henrie regrets not including Jake in the reboot.",
    "Other original cast members also missed from the series."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "TheWrap",
        "title": "‘Disappointed’ Jake T. Austin Explains ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ Spinoff Snub",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/disappointed-jake-t-austin-explains-wizards-of-waverly-place-spinoff",
        "published": "2026-08-07T03:19:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hollywood Reporter",
        "title": "Jake T. Austin Says He Wasn’t Invited to Partake in ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ Revival: “Disappointed”",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/jake-t-austin-says-he-wasnt-invited-to-partake-in-wizards-of-waverly",
        "published": "2026-08-07T22:51:20.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}