Not all movies about witches work, but Hocus Pocus does by combining the right ingredients with the Sanderson Sisters. The epitome of a nostalgic film, Hocus Pocus has always been popular, annually peaking in popularity around the Halloween season. This upcoming season is bringing Hocus Pocus 2 to the small screen. There's a reason this witchy franchise is so beloved when others haven't been.
The 1993 Disney classic was initially a box office flop but quickly grew in popularity. Hocus Pocus’ story follows Max Dennison, a new-to-Salem teenager trying to impress a girl on All Hallow’s Eve while babysitting his little sister, Dani. In doing so, he accidentally summons a trio of 300-year-old witches, the Sanderson Sisters. The rest of the film is filled with magic, a black flame candle, a talking black cat named Binx, potions, human sacrifice, and zombies plaguing the kids. The whimsical family-friendly feature is one of the few successful witch-centered silver-screen adaptations.
For the most part, movies about witches go in one of two directions; one utilizes Christian-centric lore for its story, with things like priests and demons being a focus. The other takes a more realistic approach, as aspects of paganism and other witchcraft- and nature-based faiths are the focus. Hocus Pocus works so well because there are aspects of both throughout the film. When the Sanderson Sisters encounter a man dressed as the devil, they comically refer to him as “Master,” which fits with the belief that witches work with the dark forces. However, the repeated use of salt for protection is a real-life tool for some pagans. There is a twist, however, as a part of what makes Hocus Pocus a great movie is that it's not meant to be taken seriously. The film combines real-life occult elements with family-friendly humor and whimsy, making a perfect blend of darkness and light.
Will Hocus Pocus 2 Continue To Get Its Witchcraft Right?
As Hocus Pocus 2 approaches its release date, there’s an understandable bit of apprehension about it considering how loved the first movie is. Sequels and reboots don’t always succeed because they attempt to one-up the original when the subject was already perfected with the first film. Another challenge that often comes with these movies is a change of cast. Luckily, Hocus Pocus 2 will see all three of the original Sanderson Sisters return. Because of this alone, it will be difficult to mess the sequel up, even if it's confirmed to be slightly darker in tone.
Not a lot has been revealed about the movie's story, but it appears to follow another group of teens lighting the Black Flame Candle and accidentally summoning the Sanderson witches once more. What little promotional material has been released seems to suggest more ritualistic scenes taking place. This means that Hocus Pocus 2 might be a little more mature than its predecessor, which could be a good move. Using witchcraft successfully in a film can’t be kid-friendly every time considering these practices are not games. It seems there is reason to expect a brand-new story and not just a retread of the original movie, while still getting the Sanderson witches right.