Watch : "Disappointed" Jake T. Austin Makes Rare Comment on Exclusion from Wizards of Waverly Place SpinoffIf Jake T. Austin could wave a magic wand…But unfortunately, the Russo’s magic in Wizards of Waverly Place doesn’t extend to real life. Instead, when the Disney Channel show’s revival opted not to include his character Max, the actor’s hands were tied. “To all the Wizards fans, just wanted to say for the record how disappointed I am to have not been included in the spinoff,” Austin wrote on his Aug. 7 Instagram Story. Instead, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place focused on David Henrie’s character Justin Russo and his family of wizards, with occasional appearances from Selena Gomez’s Alex Russo. As the Fosters alum explained, “Unfortunately, the powers that be decided to take the show in a different direction and my character wasn't part of the equation.”