It's Official! Hocus Pocus 2 - Fun Facts About The Fan-Favorite Halloween Flick
Fans of both Disney and all that's Halloween have waited nearly thirty years for the return of the Sanderson sisters in the sequel to Hocus Pocus. Reuniting the original siblings in the sequel, the cast will include Bette Midler (portraying the lead character of Winifred or Winnie), Sarah Jessica Parker (playing a character by the same first name), and Najimy (Mary or the sister who can smell children) as they all recreate these iconic roles.
While this trio of witches had to wait three hundred years to return from the dead in the original movie, they'll appear back on the screen again in the fall of 2022. So without any further ado, here's some of what we already know about this long-awaited sequel to a beloved and spooky cult classic.
From a Box Office Flop to Fan-Favorite Cult-Classic
When it comes to Disney classics after the first movie hit theaters back in 1993, there were mixed reviews, and the film was considered a box office flop by Hollywood standards bringing in less than $40 million in revenue against a $28 million dollar budget. Unfortunately, at the time it was released, this magical movie competed against the blockbuster Jurassic Park and the family-friendly Free Willy film, so it appeared that Hocus Pocus seemed to vanish into thin air.
However, over the last couple of decades, the film has kept a solid fan base and lured many new viewers into watching it on DVD, streaming on video, and annual airings during the beginning of the holiday season. Some would say the Sanderson sisters have become just as synonymous with Halloween as Santa Claus (or Disney's The Santa Clause series) is with Christmas. Since the sequel will be airing exclusively on Disney+, it won't have the same type of comparable revenue as traditional ticket sales in theaters.
Being Brought Back to Life
Spoiler Alert(s): For those who didn't see the original, the Sanderson sisters were first brought back to life when a teenage boy named Max (Omri Katz) lit the Black Flame Candle during a full moon on All Hallow's Eve according to legend and spell cast by Winifred (Midler) directly before her demise. According to at least one source, the Sanderson sisters will be summoned back to life in the twenty-first century by some sort of accidental act performed by a trio of teenage girls.
Another source says at least one of these young women is the seventeen-year-old offspring of the teen characters of Max and Allison (Vanessa Shaw) who played the love interests in the first film. There have been hints dropped on social media platforms like Instagram saying Shaw will return to reprise her role. All we know for sure at this point is that the Sanderson sisters (again Midler, Parker, and Najimy) will play their roles as the bewitching child-hungry sisters who will continue hunting youngsters in the sequel.
Wicked Writing and Dazzling Direction
FYI: The first movie was directed by Adam Shankman who is renowned for his behind-the-camera work in A Walk to Remember and Hairspray. However, due to a scheduling conflict with another highly-anticipated Disney sequel Disenchantment (aka Enchantment 2), the reigns of the director were turned over to Anne Fletcher whose credits include popular flicks like The Proposal starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, and Betty White.
Assisting with the screenplay, A.W. Jantha is whipping out her magic pen following her success authoring books like Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft. For those who were paying attention to the literary marketplace recently, we should have seen this second film coming a mile away when Jantha wrote Hocus Pocus & The All-New Sequel back in 2018.
More Spellbinding Stories
For more of these entertaining articles, compelling content, and spellbinding stories like this, be sure to visit our blog regularly. If you're ever mystified or confused by your entertainment experience, be sure to contact us today at any of our locations. We're always here to help you to enjoy the magical world of movies available to you and your family.
