# @popbase on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/Dckj98LB1gA
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/69782595-popbase-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/4a09306880.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-08-28T05:00:06.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Pop Base (@PopBase) — https://gondola.cc/PopBase

## Caption

‘Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie’ was released 17 years ago today.

Director Lev L. Spiro brought 'Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie' to life as a Disney Channel Original Movie, filming primarily in San Juan, Puerto Rico between February and March 2009, with additional scenes shot in New York City and Los Angeles. Written by Dan Berendsen, the film reunited the full cast of the hit series, including Selena Gomez, David Henrie, Jake T. Austin, Maria Canals-Barrera, and David DeLuise, following the Russo family on what starts as a magic-free Caribbean vacation before the plot turns on the discovery of the Stone of Dreams, a powerful object capable of reversing any spell. Notable filming locations included the Caribe Hilton Hotel, the caves of Cueva Ventana in Arecibo, and the historic Castillo San Felipe del Morro in Old San Juan.

Gomez, who also contributed music tied to the project, described tracks like "Magic" as directly connected to the film's themes of spells and transformation, part of a wider soundtrack blending songs from the movie and the broader series. Upon its August 28, 2009 premiere, the film drew an audience of 11.4 million viewers, making it the second-most-watched Disney Channel Original Movie premiere at the time, behind only 'High School Musical 2,' and it ranked as cable's top scripted telecast of the year.

The film later aired internationally, including a UK and Ireland premiere that October as part of a themed programming event, and arrived on DVD as an extended edition that December. It went on to win the 2010 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program, cementing its place as one of the standout Disney Channel Original Movies of the late 2000s and a defining project for the young cast heading into their next career chapters.

#wizardsofwaverlyplace #movies #popculture

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## Tags

popculture, wizardsofwaverlyplace, movies

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