Sean Murray understands why many original stars didn't return for Hocus Pocus 2. Released on Disney+ in September 2022, the sequel to 1993's Hocus Pocus features the return of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, who reprise their roles as the Sanderson Sisters. However, Hocus Pocus 2 did not bring back many other original characters, such as Murray's Thackery Binx, the teenage boy who fails to save his little sister Emily from the three witches in 1693 and is cursed to live as an immortal black cat.
During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Murray opened up about Hocus Pocus 2's returning stars. The original movie actor explained why he and several other stars did not return for Hocus Pocus 2, citing the sequel's need to simply move onto a new story involving the Sanderson Sisters. In Murray's case, Thackery Binx also died at the end of the first movie. Read what Murray shared below:
To me, Hocus Pocus is really about those three women, those three witches. It actually makes total sense to me that you would have a newer group with the witches and not necessarily from the original group. You know, we're all old and wrinkled now. Who wants to see us?
Why Original Hocus Pocus Actors Didn't Return For The Sequel
As Murray explains, it's probably best that some original Hocus Pocus actors did not return for the sequel. In addition to Murray, this also includes Omri Katz, Thora Birch, and Vinessa Shaw. Instead of following these young characters from the original as they are older, the sequel opts to introduce an entirely new group of teenagers who accidentally resurrect the Sanderson Sisters with the Black Flame Candle 29 years after the events of the original movie. This includes Whitney Peak as Becca and Belissa Escobedo as Izzy.
By not bringing back some original stars, Hocus Pocus 2 also made room for several new characters, including Veep alumni Sam Richardson as Gilbert and Tony Hale in a dual role, along with Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham as the Mother Witch. The creative decisions appear to have paid off in the end, as the sequel received slightly better reviews than the original, which was criticized as hokey and mediocre in 1993, but now enjoys the status of a cult classic. Only time will tell how Hocus Pocus 2's reception changes over time.
Source: EW