Actor David Henrie has taken his passion for film behind the camera with his latest project. In addition to working with past Wizards of Waverly Place co-stars on the film, another connection from the Disney Channel series made its way into the film. Here’s why the real band is at the center of it This is the year was the “perfect” choice.
‘David Henrie of Wizards of Waverly Place directed his first film
Henrie is known for the lead role in the sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place, which aired from 2007-2012. He portrayed Justin Russo, a teenage boy who fought for his family’s magical abilities against his siblings, Alex (Selena Gomez) and Max (Jake T. Austin).
Years later, Henrie wrote and directed his first feature film, This is the year, which debuts on August 28, 2020 in a virtual premiere event. The project reunited with Gomez and Gregg Sulkin, who played Mason Greyback Wizards of Waverly Place.
‘This is the Year’ is a love letter to ’80 teen films
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This is the year follows a high school senior, Josh, and his friends on a trip to a music festival to see his favorite music group, Lovelytheband. Along the way, the group learns a lot about themselves and each other as they overcome various obstacles, all in the name of art and love.
Henrie describes the film as “a love letter to many 80s movies that grew up in me” in an interview with Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “I’ve always been a fan of adult youth films, especially in high school, because they just deal with such fine themes that are meaningful and effective,” he said of his choice of genre.
Henrie on finding Lovelytheband
“I knew the movie would end on an epic song,” Henrie said of setting up the plot around a festival. “I did not know who the band was,” he added, “but I knew it meant everything to the film. The film would then be made or broken. So when we were actually funded, and it was time to shoot it, we had to find the perfect band. “
“I knew I needed a band that could be a character in the film and be present, but also had this great song at the end,” Henrie said of his search for the musical act. “Lovelytheband fit everyone. And at the time, ‘Broken’ was a huge hit on the radio, ‘he added to the group’s debut single in 2017.
The ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ link
Lovelytheband not only had everything Henrie was looking for, but there was a fun connection. ‘It just so happened that the guitarist’s father made Wizards of Waverly Place, “he said. (Todd J. Greenwald, the show’s creator, is the father of Lovelytheband member Jordan Greenwald.)
This, according to Henrie, was completely a happy accident. But the link made it clear that Lovelytheband was the best choice for This is the year. “Once we connected all those points, it was like a big family again,” Henrie continued. “It was perfect.”
