In a new post, Jake T. Austin slammed Disney, alleging that he was the only original "Wizards" family member left out of the reboot. The Jake T. Austin Slams Disney For Allegedly Failing To Invite Him To ‘Wizards’ Reboot Premiere first appeared on The Blast

“Wizards of Waverly Place” star Jake T. Austin is slamming Disney for allegedly failing to include him in the rebooted series, “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.” Over the last few days, the 31-year-old has voiced his frustration with the new show and, in a new post, claimed that he wasn’t even invited to the show’s 2024 premiere.

Jake T. Austin Gets Real About Allegedly Being Snubbed By Disney

For those who may be unfamiliar, Austin played Max Russo in the original series, which aired on Disney from 2007 to 2012. The rebooted series, which stars his fictional brother, Justin Russo, played by David Henrie, premiered on the network in 2024.

While none of the OG cast members were main characters in the reboot except for Henrie, every character from the main family, including Selena Gomez, David DeLuise, and Maria Canals-Barrera, made an appearance in the first season. Austin, however, didn’t.

He voiced his frustration about the situation two days ago, according to The Blast, saying he was “disappointed” he was left out of the show. “Even though I wasn’t involved, I still have nothing but love for my former castmates and wish them continued success. Thank you to all the fans who watched over the years. The show wouldn’t be what it is without your endless support,” he added.

Henrie Denies Austin’s Claims, Says His Former Co-Star Was Asked Several Times To Join The ‘Wizards’ Reboot

Henrie denied Austin’s claims in a series of different Instagram Stories posts yesterday, August 7.

In one, Henrie said that not only would he have loved to have seen Austin’s character return, Disney executives allegedly “called him, texted, and went through his agents” to get him back.

One of the rebooted series’ showrunners confirmed Henrie’s statement, adding on X, “David Henrie is correct. Jake was asked multiple times by many people. Really wanted him back. No response.”

Austin Says He Was Left Out Of The ‘Wizards’ Reboot From Day One, Says He Wasn’t Invited To The Premiere

A day later, Austin returned to his Instagram Stories with a lengthy post, revealing how everything allegedly went down.

“I first met with Disney in 2020 to discuss returning as Max for what I was told was essentially going to be a continuation of the original series,” he wrote. Continuing, Austin said conversations stalled, and then he learned that the reboot had been greenlit to series with the rest of the world in October 2024.

“I was the only Russo family member who wasn’t invited to make a cameo appearance or visit the set by the end of season 1,” he added. “I was also not invited to the premiere.”

Austin Says He Was Asked To Return Only After The First Season Wrapped

Austin, who also appeared in “The Suite Life on Deck,” claimed that he was “kept in the dark” by Disney about the show until after the first season wrapped. After that, Austin said he received DMs from Henrie, asking if he would be interested in reprising his role in the second season.

However, by that point, Austin wasn’t “interested” in returning because he felt “dismissed” by Disney for not being invited during the first season.

Adding to the drama, Austin said he wasn’t a “fan” of where the show was heading, adding that “the whole thing felt off.”

“I feel like more of the OG Wizards cast should have been involved from the beginning, not just randomly appear for an episode or two, so I passed,” he finished.

Austin’s Fate In The Series Was Revealed

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A post shared by David Henrie (@davidhenrie)

Although Austin was the only Russo to not appear in the rebooted series, Henrie and Gomez addressed his fate during the season premiere in 2024. While speaking with one of the other characters, Henrie reveals his brother had taken over their father’s chain of sub shops and become a wealthy man.

“So, you’re the guy who owns all the sandwich shops? Like, the billionaire,” the character asked Henrie’s character, Justin. “Uh, no, that would be Max,” he replied. “I’m a middle school vice principal, which some would say is much cooler than being a billionaire.”

“I would never say that,” Gomez’s character clapped back. “Nobody says that.”

The Jake T. Austin Slams Disney For Allegedly Failing To Invite Him To ‘Wizards’ Reboot Premiere first appeared on The Blast