The Sanderson Sisters are back - Hocus Pocus 2 will release in Fall 2022 and head to Disney+. The original Hocus Pocus may have debuted to middling critical reception and low fanfare at the box office, but since its original 1993 release, the film has become a bonafide Halloween classic. From Halloween movie marathons to making Salem, Massachusetts, the location where the first movie was filmed, a tourist hotspot, Hocus Pocus' cultural impact is undeniable.
The original film followed Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy as three witches from the Massachusetts town. When they are brought back to life by an unwitting high schooler new to Salem, the teens must fight for their lives to defeat the Sanderson sisters once again. Hocus Pocus 2 has been confirmed to be in development since December when Disney announced the film at their 2020 Investor's Day presentation. Little has been announced since then, but Mary Sanderson actress Najimy revealed that the trio had seen the script for Hocus Pocus 2.
Now, Midler has taken to Twitter to announce that the witches will be making their return in fall 2022, just in time for Halloween. Hocus Pocus 2 will hit Disney+ sometime next year as part of the streamer's slate of original content. An exact date was not given, but Midler did reveal the logo for the highly anticipated film. Check it out below:
Right now, the plot for Hocus Pocus 2 remains under wraps. At the end of the first film, the Sanderson Sisters were once again defeated, disappearing as the sun rose on the town of Salem. Naturally, they will find a way to once again come back to life and terrorize the northeastern town. Whether or not that involves members of the original cast besides the core trio remains a mystery.
Midler has said she hopes more of Hocus Pocus' original cast returns. Omri Katz, who played Max in the original film, has retired, but it's reported he stays in touch with the cast so he could be enticed to return. The chance to see Thora Birch return as Max's younger sister is also an exciting prospect. Whether or not Hocus Pocus 2 will see the original trio of young adults return to battle it out with the Sanderson Sisters once again will likely be revealed sooner rather than later - production will presumably start sometime this year, meaning casting news will slowly begin to trickle out. Luckily, it sounds like the Sanderson Sisters are still a lock to return regardless.
Source: Bette Midler