Hocus Pocus 2 star Sam Richardson opens up about his "surreal" experience working with the Sanderson Sisters, played by. The Veep star was the first actor added to the sequel's cast last fall after the original trio of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy signed on to return as the comedic trio of witches who are accidentally resurrected and wreak havoc on modern-day Salem. Hocus Pocus 2's cast also includes Doug Jones reprising his role as Billy Butcherson and newcomers Whitney Peak, Lilia Buckingham, Belissa Escobedo, Tony Hale, Hannah Waddingham, and Froy Gutierrez.
Released in theaters in 1993, Hocus Pocus was not much of a hit at the box office or with critics upon its initial debut, though it gained a cult following via home video sales and annual airings on cable television. Every spooky season, fans would revisit Disney's Halloween classic which in turn, gradually increased demand for a sequel. Fans finally got their wish in 2019 when Hocus Pocus 2 was greenlit with Workaholics writer Jen D'Angelo penning the script and Step Up director Anne Fletcher coming aboard in 2021.
In an interview with ET Online promoting his new Apple TV+ series The Afterparty, Richardson talked about his "surreal" experience working with the Sanderson Sisters stars on the set of Hocus Pocus 2. Richardson admits to being a huge fan of the original and is thrilled to have the chance to star in the sequel alongside Midler, Parker, and Najimy. Read what he had to say below:
I’m an absolute super fan of the original [Hocus Pocus]. I grew up watching that movie. Being in [the sequel] is so surreal and incredible. To work with the ladies is so... I don’t want to use the word surreal again but I’m outside of myself when I’m doing these scenes. I’m like, "This is them!" They are the characters. The Sanderson sisters, you know, are like there, doing their spells and I have a grin on my face!
Richardson was the first member added to Hocus Pocus 2's cast after Midler, Parker, and Najimy's returns were announced, suggesting he might have a significant role alongside the three Sanderson sisters. While his role is still undisclosed, it's known that other newcomers like Peak, Buckingham, and Escobedo will star as Becca, Cassie, and Izzy, respectively, the three high-schoolers responsible for reviving the Sanderson sisters who must work together to stop them. There have been various looks at the Hocus Pocus 2 set in Rhode Island, though none that might shed some light on Richardson's role.
It must be surreal for an actor to grow up as a fan of a particular IP and then have the chance to work on a sequel years later. This has actually become a much more frequent occurrence today in the age of legacy sequels, reboots, and other revivals. Hocus Pocus 2 remains under production for now, and Richardson's work in the movie can be seen later this year on Disney+.
Source: ET Online