Kenny Ortega’s Hocus Pocus has been one of the most loved children’s movies for the past 30 years. The original movie was released in 1993, and it has since gained a cult following. Being such a popular and significant film to many, fans were thrilled when a sequel was announced. For the past year, pretty much the only thing that was released to the public is that the original cast of witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) will reprise their roles but have there been any updates since then?
Unfortunately, Kenny Ortega, the original director, will not be working on the sequel. Anne Fletcher, known for films such as 27 Dresses (2008) and The Proposal (2009), will instead be taking over this job, and Jen D'Angelo (Workaholics) will be writing. With a different director being attached to Hocus Pocus, it begs the question of how this will change the overall feeling of the film, but with the return of the iconic witches, it is feeling a bit more hopeful.
The original 1993 fantasy Hocus Pocus begins with teenager Thackery Binx (Sean Murray) and his little sister Emily (Amanda Shepard) on Halloween night 1693 in Salem, Massachusetts. That night, he finds his little sister getting taken away to the woods by the infamous coven of witches, the Sanderson sisters (Midler, Parker, and Najimy). Following them to their cottage, he sees the witches giving Emily a potion in order to gain her youth, which also kills her in the process. When Thackery confronts them, he is turned into a black cat, now becoming immortal.
Three hundred years later, young teenager Max Dennison and younger sister Dani (Thora Birch) moved to Salem, Massachusetts. On Halloween night, the duo and their friend, Allison (Vinessa Shaw), go on an adventure to an abandoned house. Although they don’t believe her, Allison tells the siblings about a story revolving around the Sanderson sisters in that same house. They shrug it off until Max accidentally resurrects the Sanderson sisters after lighting a black flame candle in the house. The film is about the trio, who, along with their talking black cat (Thackery), are on a mission to stop the witches from forever becoming immortal.
Now, nearly three decades later, a sequel is finally in the works. With sequels and reboots being so popular right now, it’s not surprising that such a reflective film is coming back to the big screen. The sequel is currently in production, but there is no release date as of late. It is rumored to be shown in theaters in 2022; however, an October 2022 date might be wishful thinking, but just in time for Halloween.
The plot for the sequel was announced last Halloween and will be about three young women who, this time around, are responsible for accidentally bringing back the Sanderson Sisters in modern-day Salem. Aside from this, not many plot details have been revealed, but a few cast members have hinted at returning.
When interviewed for Entertainment Tonight, Vinessa Shaw, who played Max’s friend and love interest Allison, said that she believed she and Max are still together: “I feel like she and Max are still together, but I think Allison’s from Salem, and he always wants to be in California. I think they did some sort of compromise, and maybe she’s in Salem when the witches come back, you know, visiting her mom or something.” Does this mean they could be returning to the sequel? Fans can only hope. Other new addition cast members include Tony Hale, Hannah Waddingham, Juju Brenner, Nina Kitchen, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham, Sam Richardson, Doug Jones, and Froy Gutierrez, and Taylor Henderson.
This past week, the official first-look image of the upcoming film was posted, bringing the excitement to full force. The photo was released on Twitter by both Disney+ and Bette Midler with the caption “Sistaaaaahs! ‘Tis time! #HocusPocus2 is now in production, coming Fall 2022 to @DisneyPlus.” The picture showcases original actresses Midler, Parker, and Najimy reprising their roles as the beloved witches. The picture looks like a spitting image from the original film, looking like no time has passed, although nearly 30 years have.
Nostalgia has been at the forefront in recent years, with resurrections of children’s movies and shows being announced (Spy Kids, Rugrats, Home Alone, Beavis and Butt-Head, to name a few), so Hocus Pocus will hopefully have a successful release. The kids who grew up watching the film every Halloween now have kids of their own who they can share the same fuzzy feeling with.
With the picture, plot details, and cast members being announced, the film finally feels like it is happening. Reboots and sequels are often extremely loved or highly hated. With original actors returning, it truly feels like magic is in the air and Hocus Pocus 2 is destined for success.