Disney Branded Television is world renowned for producing entertaining and trusted content across Disney Channel, Disney Jr., and Disney+ with animated and live-action films, series, shorts, and specials geared toward kids, tweens, teens, and families. From established franchises like Descendants and ZOMBIES to newer phenomena like Electric Bloom and Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the teams under Disney Branded Television president Ayo Davis are uniquely positioned to tell stories that are reflective of their world and experiences — ones that both define and connect generations.
“Families trust Disney to create content that defines their children’s childhoods,” said Charlie Andrews, EVP, Live Action, Disney Branded Television. “Many parents today have experienced that trust firsthand, having grown up with Disney themselves. That trust extends beyond the audience; it’s deeply embedded within our company. Many of our employees and executives grew up with Disney, and many are parents who go home every day to the very audience we serve. That irreplaceable emotional connection helps us create stories that resonate across generations and deliver those co-viewing moments that parents and kids remember for a lifetime.”
Opportunities for Growth
Disney Branded Television has the rare ability to grow in tandem with its audience. Two recent examples include Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, a continuation of the hit Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place (2007–2012), and Vampirina: Teenage Vampire, a live-action, music-driven comedy about Vampirina aka Vee, the title character from the best-selling Disney-Hyperion books and the hit Disney Jr. animated series (2017–2020).
“Our content is designed to meet kids at every stage of growing up,” Andrews said. “Vampirina began as a preschool favorite, and now those same fans are tweens and teens, so it felt natural to let Vee grow up with them. Vampirina: Teenage Vampire brings beloved characters into a more mature world, with themes that reflect what our audiences are experiencing now: friendships, self-discovery, and finding your place in the world. It’s a way for them to stay connected to a character they’ve loved, while exploring stories that speak to who they’re becoming.”
Andrews continued, “We’ve always known our audience loves revisiting the stories and characters they grew up with. We saw it with Wizards Beyond Waverly Place and Descendants: The Rise of Red, where new characters stepped into familiar worlds. With Vampirina: Teenage Vampire, we wanted to take that idea further, not just expanding the universe, but evolving a character in real time. By growing Vee alongside her original fans, we’re inviting them to reconnect in a deeper, more personal way. She’s not just back, she’s growing up — just like they are. And that unlocks stories that feel more relevant, more resonant, and more magical than ever.”
Breaking the Mold
Rather than continue Vampirina’s story in animation, the creative team — which includes showrunners Dan Cross and David Hoge, who serves as executive producers alongside Tim Federle, Bronwyn North-Reist, and Meg Deloatch — decided to take a different approach.
“Live-action allows us to explore Vee’s emotions and relationships with even more depth, while still maintaining that big funny from the original,” Andrews said. “It’s a perfect example of how we evolve our storytelling to meet kids and families at every stage of growing up.”
Similarly, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place follows an adult Justin Russo (star and executive producer David Henrie), who has chosen to lead a normal, mortal life with his wife and two sons — until his sister, Alex Russo (executive producer and guest star Selena Gomez), shows up and asks him to mentor Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown), a young wizard-in-training.
Since driving record premiere viewership on Disney+ in October 2024, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place has proven that it not only resonates with fans of the original series, but it cast a spell on new audiences who are just now discovering the Russos’ Wizarding World.
“The heart of Wizards has always been the Russo family,” Andrews explained. “While the magic and humor draw audiences in, it’s the family dynamic that truly defines the franchise. The Russos invite viewers into a world built on love, support, and just the right amount of dysfunction. This authenticity resonates across generations. Whether you’re a child growing up with Wizards of Waverly Place or a parent watching Wizards Beyond, there’s a Russo family member you can relate to. That’s why the stories feel timeless.”
One the reasons that Wizards Beyond Waverly Place felt legitimate to longtime fans is that, in addition to Henrie and Gomez, many of the original series’ cast and crew also came back.
“Just like the fans who grew up with the Russo family, our cast and crew evolved alongside the original series. Welcoming them back brings a deep sense of authenticity to Wizards Beyond Waverly Place,” Andrews said. “These creative partners understand the heart of the franchise because they helped build it. Their passion and dedication were the driving force behind reimagining Wizards for a new generation while honoring everything that made the original so beloved. Selena and David have been the absolute best partners, and the way the audience is reacting to Season 2 has been awesome to see.”
Henrie was a driving force behind getting Wizards Beyond Waverly Place made, and he “definitely hears everyone’s opinions” about what it should and should not be, according to Brown. “He wants to let the OG generation to know that they are seen, that they are heard, that they are loved,” she said. “And he’s also listening to what the new fans wants to see. What makes it truly balanced is that we have that OG Russo love, just with a newer cast.”
Time-Honored Tradition
While Disney Channel’s characters and stories evolve, some conventions remain the same.
Back in 2006, the network fused two of its most popular programs to create the three-part crossover event That’s So Suite Life of Hannah Montana. Its popularity inspired the network to expand its shared universe, and during the Monstober Spooktacular Weekend in 2015, it upped the ante with crossovers that spanned Austin & Ally, Best Friends Whenever, Girl Meets World, I Didn’t Do It, Jessie, K.C. Undercover, and Liv and Maddie. The tradition continues this year with Brown playing Billie in an episode of Vampirina: Teenage Vampire.
“I think people love seeing how different shows can become one,” said Kenzi Richardson, who plays Vee in Vampirina: Teenage Vampire. “Each world has a different vibe and its own unique characters, so I love seeing how they can come together. It feels like one big family.”
In the episode, titled “First Heartbeat,” Vee reconnects with Billie and gets a surprise visit from the Vampire Council. “I love our chemistry onscreen, and I’m so excited for everybody to see it,” said Brown, who is close friends with Richardson in real life. “I can’t wait for people to see what Vee and Billie get up to. Billie messes up something big, but they fix it!”
Such an episode might not have been possible had Disney Branded Television not taken a risk with adapting its IP in a new format. “Live-action opens the door to fun crossovers within the Disney Channel ecosystem,” Andrew said, noting how Brown’s character “introduces Vee to a brand-new audience and expands her world in fresh, unexpected ways.”
That’s what Disney Branded Television does best — and has guided it towards success.
“Our fans are our compass. They show up at conventions, engage with us on social media, and speak passionately about the stories and characters they love. And we listen closely,” Andrews said. “That direct feedback, combined with the team’s creative instincts, helps us identify which titles have the potential to evolve into multi-generational franchises. It’s why we’ve been able to reimagine beloved series like Vampirina: Teenage Vampire and Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. The audience is not only still there — they’re eager for more. And with the storytelling expertise of our teams, we can expand these worlds in ways that feel both fresh and relatable. That’s the heart of how Disney Branded Television builds franchises that endure.”
Seasons 1 and 2 of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place are now streaming on Disney+. All episodes from Vampirina: Teenage Vampire debut Wednesday, October 15, on Disney+.