A new video from the set of Disney's Hocus Pocus 2 shows just-announced star Whitney Peak filming a modern day high school scene. The highly-anticipated sequel is in production over two decades after Hocus Pocus first charmed audiences in 1993. The original film followed the aftermath of a high schooler who accidentally awakens a trio of 17th-century witches called the Sanderson sisters (played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker) who vie to stay young forever.
Fans cheered when Disney finally announced Hocus Pocus 2 with all three of the original Sanderson sisters returning in 2020. Helmed by director Anne Fletcher (The Proposal) and penned by Jen D'Angelo (Workaholics), production began in the fall of 2021 in Rhode Island. As the fandom began to sneak eagle eye photos and videos of set builds, Disney announced more cast members, including Whitney Peak, who recently led HBO Max's reboot of Gossip Girl. Peak appears to be starring as one of the high school students who brings back the Sanderson sisters to modern-day Salem.
TikTok user Peanut and Beans treated fans to an unoffical first look at Peak on set of the flick. The actress is filming a scene at a high school, sulking against the lockers in a seemingly somber moment. While the shot appears to be set up and ready to go, it doesn't seem like production was rolling as Peak delivers a coy glance straight to the camera at one point.
Click Here to Watch the Video on TikTok
In the comments section, Peanut and Beans added an interesting tidbit. The unidentified user wrote that Bette Midler was seen dressed in a blueberry costume à la Violet in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory though there was no evidence of this shared. What that could mean for the movie remains unclear as plot details remain under wraps. Still, a recent Hocus Pocus 2 video showed the Black Flame Candle, a key artifact from the original film.
Based on Peak's blocking in the video, her character seems to be having a sad moment. Her role could be similar to that of Max (Omri Katz) in the original film, who struggled to fit in at his new high school in Salem. Her casting would make sense, as Peak showed she can tap into a storyline like this on Gossip Girl. Of course, there's not that much to go off of in the brief TikTok. Up until now, social media has been ablaze with photos and videos of the colonial Salem set built for Hocus Pocus 2. This clip marks one of the first modern looks at the sequel, which seems to be following the recipe that made its predecessor so deliciously beloved. Only time will tell if it works.
Source: Peanut and Beans