Selena Gomez Co-Stars Jake T. Austin and David Henrie Clash Over 'Wizards of Waverly Place' Reboot as Drama Deepens

Jake T. Austin and David Henrie have clashed over why Max Russo did not return for Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, with Austin saying he was '100% in' when approached about reprising the role while Henrie claimed the actor received multiple opportunities to return.

Austin played Max alongside Selena Gomez's Alex Russo and Henrie's Justin Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place. Gomez and Henrie returned for the continuation, while Austin was the only main original cast member absent, making his absence a major point of discussion.

Austin Says He Wanted To Return

Austin addressed his absence after the revival's finale, saying he had been approached in 2020 about returning as Max and was '100% in.'

He said the project eventually moved in a different direction and his character was no longer part of the plans. Austin had indicated that the continuation discussed in 2020 was expected to focus on the original characters rather than a new generation, a direction he was excited about before believing the project took a 'wrong turn.'

That history has made the creative direction central to questions over Max's absence.

Henrie Disputes Austin's Account

Henrie, who returned as Justin and served as an executive producer, disputed Austin's version of events.

Henrie said he would have loved to have Max back and claimed Austin received multiple opportunities to participate. He said efforts were made to reach Austin through calls, texts and agents.

Showrunner Scott Thomas also backed Henrie's account, saying Austin had been approached multiple times and, according to Thomas, never responded to the invitations.

The disagreement now centres on whether Austin's 2020 discussions referred to the same opportunities Henrie later described. Austin says he wanted to return but the project changed direction, while Henrie and Thomas maintain that opportunities were made available.

David Deluise Calls Finale a Missed Opportunity

The controversy broadened when David DeLuise, who played Jerry Russo and appeared in the revival, criticised the lack of original cast members in the finale.

DeLuise called the decision a 'missed opportunity' and argued that the story would not truly be over if the 'OG wizards' had been there.

His comments do not establish why Austin failed to return, but add an original cast perspective to criticism of the revival.

TikTok Fans Question the Timeline

TikTok users have continued debating Austin's absence and the revival's direction, with one commenter directly challenging the reported timeline: 'David invited him after season one was already over. not initially'.

The comment is not independent confirmation, but reflects the question of whether Henrie's opportunities were part of the original plans or came later.

Another commenter criticised the revival's cast choices, writing: 'I would rather have max and Harper & Selena, not David Henry.'

The reactions are fan commentary, not proof of what happened, but show how the dispute has renewed interest in the original Russo family.

For now, Austin maintains that he wanted to return and says the project changed direction. Henrie and Thomas say opportunities were offered, while DeLuise criticised the finale's lack of original cast members.

The precise circumstances remain unresolved. The central question is whether Austin was referring to an early 2020 version of the continuation while Henrie was referring to later opportunities connected to the finished revival, or whether the two accounts describe the same attempt to bring Max Russo back.