Disney's THE WIZARDS RETURN: ALEX VS. ALEX Draws Nearly 6 Million Viewers

Disney Channel's one-hour television event, "The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex" (8:00 - 9:00 p.m.), cast a ratings spell across the nation, delivering 5.9 million Total Viewers, 2.9 million Kids 2-11, 2.3 million Kids 6-11 and 2.2 million Tweens 9-14, ranking as Friday's #1 TV telecast across the major youth demos. In fact, the special became the #1 cable TV telecast of 2013 to date in Tweens 9-14, the #2 cable TV telecast in Kids 2-11 and Kids 6-11, and the #1 kids' cable TV telecast in Total Viewers.

The storyline saw the Russo family and friends travel to Tuscany, Italy, to meet their long lost relatives... but when Alex (Gomez) tried to prove she's more than a seemingly carefree young Wizard, she inadvertently conjured a spell that created a Good Alex and an Evil Alex. When Evil Alex was roped into a charming young wizard's foreboding plan to take over the world, Good Alex found a way to save her family and humankind, which led to a monumental battle between the two versions of herself - all atop the Tower of Pisa.

Gomez's breakthrough series, "Wizards of Waverly Place," was one of Disney Channel's most successful series ever. It premiered in 2007, became a ratings driver worldwide, reaching over 175 million unduplicated viewers in 163 countries and 32 languages in its final quarter on air (1Q12). It inspired "Wizards of Waverly Place the Movie," which delivered 13.5 million Total Viewers, ranking as the #1 cable TV movie of 2009 and still the #2 cable TV movie ever (after "High School Musical 2").

The television special starred Selena Gomez, Jake T. Austin, Jennifer Stone, Maria Canals-Barrera, David DeLuise and Gregg Sulkin; was written by Vince Cheung and Ben Montanio ("Wizards of Waverly Place") and Dan Berendsen (ABC Family's "Baby Daddy"), and directed by Victor Gonzalez ("Wizards of Waverly Place"). Selena Gomez, Cheung, Montanio, Dan Cross and David Hoge are executive producers. "Wizards of Waverly Place" was created by Todd J. Greenwald ("Hannah Montana") and a production of It's a Laugh Productions for Disney Channel.

At 9 o'clock, an all-new "Gravity Falls" soared to a series high in Total Viewers (4.5 million) and delivered its #2 telecast ever in Tweens 9-14 (1.7 million/7.0 rating) and #3 telecast in Kids 2-11 (2.5 million/6.4 rating).

Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series and movies. Currently available on basic cable in over 99 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney/ABC Television Group.

Source: NTI, U.S. early ratings, 3/15/13. 2013 to date: 12/31/12 - 3/10/13, Live + Same Day.

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