With people already getting excited for Halloween, many fans will be revisiting some of their favorite movies from the season. One film that is frequently rewatched this time of year is Hocus Pocus. The family-friendly film follows three witch sisters who are brought into modern times to fulfill their evil curse.
Almost three decades later, there is still so much affection for the film and there has been talk of a sequel for many years. With various starts and stops, it seems like the follow-up is indeed finally on its way. While there is a lot still unclear about the film, there are plenty of details to get fans excited.
Original Movie
Hocus Pocus was released in 1993 from Disney and starred Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson sisters. Set in Salem, the film followed a young girl and her older brother who accidentally bring the Sanderson sisters back to life.
The movie was a great mix of family-friendly scares and delightful humor, thanks largely to the three main actors who played the witch sisters perfectly. The film was actually a disappointment critically and commercially upon its release.
Long-Development
Due to the negative critical reaction of the original film, and the fact that it was a flop for Disney, there was no talk of a sequel to Hocus Pocus for many years. However, once the movie began airing annually on the Disney Channel for Halloween, it gained a cult following.
As popularity for the film grew, the question of a sequel kept coming up. The responses from those involved with the original ranged from optimism about continuing the story to denial that there has been any progress. But due to the overwhelming demand, Disney began looking into options.
Other Versions
As interest in a sequel continued to grow over the years, Disney started to make some progress on continuing the story. However, the first avenue they looked at was not a sequel, but rather a remake of the original.
In 2014, Tina Fey was reportedly in talks with Disney about developing a supernatural comedy about witches which many guessed was a Hocus Pocus remake. Later, it looked like there would be a remake that was set to be a direct-to-video story for Disney Channel.
Not A Remake Or Reboot
News of a remake of Hocus Pocus was not met with a positive reaction from fans who were hoping for a sequel. Even the star of the original, Bette Midler, expressed disappointment that the franchise would be taken in a new direction.
Perhaps because of this reaction, Disney decided to pull back on those plans. When the new film was officially announced, it was confirmed that it would be Hocus Pocus 2 rather than a remake or reboot which pleased many fans.
The Sanderson Sisters
Interest in a remake rather than a proper sequel seemed to be less enthusiastic simply because fans wanted to see the return of the Sanderson Sisters. Even with the lackluster box office returns of the first film, these three characters have become iconic movie villains.
Bette Midler plays Winifred "Winnie" Sanderson, the oldest of the sisters and the leader of the group. Sarah Jessica Parker plays Sarah Winifred, the beautiful young sister. And Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson, the dim-witted middle sister. It has been confirmed that the sequel will continue with their story.
The Original Cast
The original three actors who played the Sanderson sisters have all been among the most vocal supporters of a sequel for a number of years now. Midler has said that the character of Winifred "Winnie" Sanderson is the most fun she's ever had making a movie.
Parker and Najimy seem to share the same fond memories of making the original as they have both stated they would love to return for the sequel. Though nothing official has been announced, it is expected that all three actors will return for the film.
New Writer
After little movement being made on the film for so long, now that some names are getting attached seems to indicate things are moving in the right direction. While none of the original creative team will be returning for this new adventure, the movie has added a new writer who will be working on the script.
Hocus Pocus 2 will be written by Jen D'Angelo. Though a new name in films, D’Angelo has worked as a writer and producer on Workaholics, L.A. to Vegas, and Happy Together.
The Plot
The fun of the first film was seeing these witches from the 1600s suddenly brought into the modern world. It is expected that the sequel will once again feature the Sanderson sisters being brought back into our world as was hinted at with the original film's ending.
In 2018, a book sequel to the story was released which followed the young daughter of Max and Allison from the first film. Not believing the stories of her parents' run-in with witches, she tries to prove it is made up but ends up reviving the Sanderson sisters. Though nothing has been confirmed, this could serve as the basis for the new film.
Adam Shankman
While the addition of a new writer certainly sparked some life into this project, things really seemed to be coming together when it was announced that Adam Shankman would be directing the sequel.
Shankman is known for his light-hearted musical comedies, such as Hairspray. He has stated his excitement at tackling another fan-favorite property. And given the memorable musical number from the first film, he seems like a great choice.
A Disney+ Release
After all these years of Disney being apprehensive about going forward with a Hocus Pocus sequel, all it took was for the studio to have its own streaming platform for things to finally move in the right direction.
When the sequel was finally announced, it was confirmed that it would be released exclusively on Disney+. This feels like a wise move for the studio as they don't need to worry about the franchise underperforming at the box office again and they still get a high-profile title for their platform.