Disney's Hocus Pocus took the world by the broomstick in 1993 and would go on to become one of the most iconic Halloween movies ever. It's been over 25 years since the Sanderson sisters haunted Salem, but a sequel is here, and fans will likely go nuts for it.
Due to the movie's cult following, fans have turned to artwork and tattoos to show their love for the Sanderson sisters, Binx, and even Billy Butcherson. Fans who don't have Hocus Pocus tattoos are going to feel compelled get one once they catch a glimpse at some of these spellbinding creations.
Updated on September 19, 2022, by Lynn Gibbs: Hocus Pocus has a strong fandom who waited almost 30 years for a sequel. The story of the Sanderson sisters and their mission to suck the souls from children was a scary one but that didn’t stop fans from Disney viewers from tuning in every Halloween. Some fans loved the hilariously spooky film so much that they tattooed its characters and moments on themselves for eternity. While some are whimsical and enchanting, others are downright haunting.
"Oh, Book!"
Winifred's spell book is one of the most intricate creations of the entire movie. There are subtle details about this Hocus Pocus prop that fans appreciate. Created out of flesh, the book has a working eyeball and only answers to its owner. It's also filled with spells that could change a series of events forever.
This tattoo has incredible detail and adds a whimsical effect with the purple smoke and yellow stars. It was created by Australian tattoo artist @Stefansalamone.
Book In The Moonlight
There was something special about Winifred’s spell book. Even though it was full of haunting spells that could hurt people, Winifred’s relationship with Book was endearing. Book only answered to her and was created out of human skin.
This tattoo done at @Rabitholetattoo was done beautifully and showed Book in a new light. Instead of being overshadowed by Winifred, Binx, or the full moon, it’s propped up among flowers and a present moon.
It’s Just A Bunch Of Hocus Pocus
Created by @BooTattoo89, this tattoo is gorgeous and mystical in every way. With the Sanderson sisters’ cauldron boiling with a green spell, the artist also added a moon, stars, pumpkins, Book, and the words “It’s just a bunch of Hocus Pocus.”
Like these tattoos, there are just as many spooky pieces of Hocus Pocus fan art. These works of art prove that it doesn’t need to be Halloween to support or promote the Sandersons or a touch of hocus pocus.
Billy Butcherson’s Blue Period
While there are a few leads who did not return for Hocus Pocus 2, Billy Butcherson is back to reprise his role.
Billy was Winifred’s ex-boyfriend. She brought him back to life to help her defeat Dani, Max, and Allison, but in a surprise twist, he joined forces with the kids and went against the Sandersons. Apparently, after Winifred found out that Billy was sleeping with her sister Sarah, she killed him. Now that he was back from the dead, he wanted revenge. @Spiltmilktattoo did a great job of designing a blue version of Billy with stitches over his lips.
The Black Flame Candle In Great Detail
The Black Flame Candle doesn’t get too much love in terms of tattoos or art work, but it should. Without the Black Flame Candle, the Sanderson sisters wouldn’t have a chance at coming back from the dead.
Legend has it that a virgin had to light the Black Flame Candle under a full moon on Halloween night for the Sandersons to come back to life. In the first film, Max lit the candle because he didn’t believe in the spirit of Halloween or the Sandersons, which ended up biting him in the behind. This design by @HeartlandTattoo for @Midwestrick_ht showed the importance of the candle with spooky ghosts behind it.
"Twist The Bones And Bend The Back"
The Sanderson sisters don't cast too many spells throughout Hocus Pocus, but the "Twist the bones and bend the back" is the start of the spell that is used to turn Thackary Binx into a cat. It's one of those badass Sanderson sister quotes that's recited often by Hocus Pocus fans.
This tattoo was created by @GeraldDaniell92 for @GinaSchuler and interestingly has Billy Butcherson at the center of it all, and seems to imply that the spell was used to resurrect him (but that was the "Unfaithful lover long since dead" spell). Billy was Winifred's ex-boyfriend who essentially saved Dani, Max, and Allison from the sisters. Billy was the unsung hero of the movie but in this tattoo, he's the star.
"Sisters!"
Sometimes something as simple as the shape and color of a character's head of hair is enough to get the job done. This tattoo was done by @angiemyrtille at When You're Strange Tattoo in Paris, France, and is simple yet detailed. Sarah's blonde hair, Winifred's red curls, and Mary's purple up-do are all that's needed to give a nod to the film. This tattoo further shows how different each of the sisters are by themselves, but when they're together, they're powerful beyond words.
With the sequel newly released, Sarah Jessica Parker (Sarah Sanderson) posted a behind-the-scenes picture on Instagram showing that the sisters are back and look exactly the same as they did then.
The Sisters And Their Brooms
What's a witch without her broom? As soon as the Sanderson sisters realized they were alive after 300 years, they grabbed their brooms and followed Mary's nose for children. Sadly, the women left their brooms outside the "Devil's" house and they were stolen by kids. The only logical next step was to use other brooms as their form of transportation. Mary, unfortunately, got stuck with an old vacuum, but it became one of the most memorable scenes in the movie; so much so that fans love to cosplay as Mary with her vaccum.
The tattoo of Winifred and Sarah's brooms and Mary's vacuum is beautifully done by @serpentinetattoomachine at To The Grave Tattoo Co.. The colors and smoke add such a fun and magical whimsy to the tattoo.
Calling All Mary Sanderson Fans!
Mary Sanderson is the strongest Sanderson sister next to Winifred. Without Mary's incredible sense of smell, who knows if Winifred and Sarah would be able to find children for their potions. It was because of Mary that the sisters knew Dani, Max, and Allison were in their home. She also smelled their way into town before knowing the kids were dressed in costumes.
One Mary Sanderson fan got her iconic lip-bite tattooed on their arm by @tattoosbylevi. The shading and intense look in her eyes are spot-on!
Three Very Simple Shoutouts
The great thing about Hocus Pocus tattoos are that fans can choose something big and bold or something small and simple, like their brooms (and vacuum) without color. @mih.sia's tattoo is a sweet nod to the Sanderson sisters without too much flash.
When re-watching Hocus Pocus, fans notice new details within the movie that they didn't recognize before. The detail in Mary's vacuum and Sarah's mop is a perfect example of this.
An Entire Sleeve Of Magic
With Hocus Pocus being over 25 years old, fans were excited when they saw the trailer for Hocus Pocus 2. To show their love for the movie, some have tattooed epics illustrations on their body, including full-body tattoos. Tattoo artist @ibh.ink created this masterpiece that covers the entire arm.
"Twist the bones and bend the back" are seen at the top left of the person's arm, along with the Sanderson sisters' cauldron, the shapes of their hair, and Thackery Binx even makes an appearance! The more fans examine the tattoo, the more details are noticed.
Winifred Sanderson: The Head Witch In Charge
Winifred Sanderson is definitely the head witch in charge. If she wasn't around, Mary and Sarah would probably still be dead or running around like buffoons. While they each had their strong points, Winifred was by far the strongest sister. The spell book appeared to only respond to Winifred, so it's assumed it would do nothing for Mary or Sarah.
This tattoo by @Emily_Rose_Murray is perfect for anyone who adores Winifred. Her rosy cheeks are prominently featured, and her hair adds all the color the tattoo needs.
Justice For Binx
Both Binx and Dani deserve more love throughout Hocus Pocus. Although Binx's history didn't always make sense, if it weren't for his help, Dani and co. wouldn't have lasted. His knowledge of the Sanderson sisters over the years led him to teach the kids everything they needed to know about the witches. Binx was a human in cat form who missed his family, so the emotional factor is there as well. Everyone needed to work together to be free from the Sanderson sisters' curse.
Seeing Dani say goodbye to Binx was emotional. He would finally have a home of his own and people who loved and understood him. @Theatattoos did an outstanding job of bringing Binx and Dani to life.
Gang's All Here!
When one Sanderson sister isn't enough, why not add all three? This tattoo by @pecas_tattoo is spot-on. All details about the witches are present and accounted for, including Winifred's judgmental glare, Sarah's flirtatious eyes and voluminous hair, and Mary's epic hair and lip bite.
All three sisters connect in a seamless way. It's the ultimate shoutout to these three witches who only wanted to be young and live forever. And while they didn't reach their goal of eternity at the end of the original, Winifred, Sarah, and Mary are the most likable characters on Hocus Pocus.