Hocus Pocus 2 will have fans and viewers screaming with horror and laughter this 2022. The first Hocus Pocus film was released in 1993. The movie aged like fine wine, slowly becoming a staple Halloween movie. 30 years after the release of the first movie, we are not blessed with a sequel. Here is everything we know about Hocus Pocus 2.
Hocus Pocus 2 Release Date: When Will the Movie Sequel Come Out?
Hocus Pocus 2 premiered on Disney+ on September 30, 2022, right on time for Halloween. Disney confirmed the movie during its presentation in May 2022.
When was Hocus Pocus 2 Filmed?
The movie was confirmed to be in development in October 2019. One year later, filming for Hocus Pocus 2 started on October 18, 2022, and principal photography was completed sometime in late January 2022. After the initial cut of the film received some criticisms during the test screening, several scenes had to be re-shot, with principal photography finally wrapping up around June 2022.
Hocus Pocus 2 Release Date Reminder
40 days before Hocus Pocus 2 comes out on Disney Plus, we receive a reminder of its release date (not that we need it). On August 31, a month before the sequel comes out, we receive another reminder from the Sanderson sisters. They even posted a single word that we can all hear. It won’t be Hocus Pocus without Book!
As the Summer Ends
Hocus Pocus 2 is slowly building momentum with the Sanderson Sisters growing more powerful as Halloween (and the movie premiere) draws nearer.
Hocus Pocus 2 Cast: Who are the Actors Included in the Film?
Most of the cast members from the original Hocus Pocus film will be returning for the sequel.
The Original Sanderson Sisters
A Hocus Pocus movie will not be the same without the original Sanderson sisters. Bette Midler, known for her role in the movie The First Wives, will return as Winifred Sanderson. Mary Sanderson, the second sister of the trio, will still be played by Kathy Najimy from Veep. The last Sanderson sister, Sarah, will still be played by Sarah Jessica Parker, who played iconic characters in various projects like And Just Like That… and Sex in the City.
Aside from the Sanderson sisters, we will also see another familiar face back on the screen. Doug Jones (from the recent movie The Shape of Water) will return to play a zombie version of Billy Butcherson, Winifred’s ex-boyfriend. Entertainment Weekly released a report about Billy’s return, including our first look at Billy’s rise from the dead.
Behind the Sandersons
Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker talk about working together again to make Hocus Pocus 2 in a featurette.
The Residents of Salem
New faces abound in Salem for Hocus Pocus 2. The main character in the movie, Becca, is played by Whitney Peak. Peak has previously starred in other spooky shows like The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, so she is quite in her element within the Hocus Pocus universe. Becca has two best friends, Izzy and Cassie, who will be played by Belissa Escobedo and Lillia Buckingham, respectively. Escobedo has worked on the horror series American Horror Stories while Buckingham has previously worked on Crown Lake. Tony Hale will play Jefry Taske, the current Mayor of Salem, while Sam Richardson will play the role of Gilbert, the owner of “The Olde Salem Magic Shoppe .”Hannah Waddingham, from Sex Education, will play a new and mysterious character only known as The Witch.
The Other Sanderson Sisters?
Hocus Pocus 2 seems to have a lot of fun and quirky scenes, including one where the Sanderson sisters meet drag queen versions of themselves. We will see Ginger Minj, Kornbread Jeté, and Kahmora Hall dress up the sisters. These three iconic queens from Ru Paul’s DragRace will surely steal the show.
Who Will Not be Returning
We are more than happy to see the original sisters returning for Hocus Pocus 2, but some original cast members will be missed. Thora Birch will not be returning to reprise her role as Dani Dennison because of scheduling conflicts with another upcoming spooky show Wednesday. It is also unlikely that Vanessa Shaw, who plays Max’s crush Allison, and Omri Katz, who plays Dani’s brother Max, will be a part of Hocus Pocus 2. Katz released a statement to Entertainment Weekly through his representative, Nery Lemus, sharing how he felt about not returning for the sequel. He still expressed his support for the movie. Jason Marsden is also no longer lending his voice to the cat version of Thackery Binx. Sean Murray is also not likely to return as the human Thackery.
Hocus Pocus 2 Crew: Who are the Creatives Behind the Scenes?
Anne Fletcher (from The Proposal) will be directing Hocus Pocus 2. Adam Shankman was initially brought on to direct the film, but he had to let go of directing the project to focus on the film Disenchanted, the sequel to the movie Enchanted. Instead of directing, Shankman became a producer alongside Lynn Harris, Steven Haft (who previously worked on the first Hocus Pocus movie), and David Kirschner, who wrote the first Hocus Pocus story. John Debner will return to compose the music for Hocus Pocus 2 after creating the original scores for the first movie.
Hocus Pocus 2 Plot: What Will be the Plot of the Horror Comedy?
In the first Hocus Pocus movie, we meet siblings Max and Dani, who just moved to Salem, Massachusetts. After befriending Allison, the three explore an old abandoned house. After Allison tells them about an urban legend surrounding the house, an unbelieving Max accidentally revives and frees a coven of evil witches who used to live in the house. With the help of a magical talking cat, Max, Dani, and Allison have to work together to steal the witches’ spell book to stop them from being immortal. The movie ends with the children successfully trapping the Sanderson sisters, but we see the magic book winking its eye, so we know that the witches are still alive. Hocus Pocus 2 will show us how the Sanderson sisters return to this realm. 29 years after being reduced to dust, Thanos-style, Winifred, Mary, and Sarah were once again accidentally revived when Becca, Izzy, and Cassie performed a witch ritual involving the Black Flame Candle for Becca’s 16th birthday. Now, the three friends have to outsmart the Sanderson sisters to stop them from wreaking havoc across Salem. We will also learn more about the iconic Sandersons, as we meet them as children and rediscover their history in the sequel.
Disney Press Release
Disney released a special announcement sharing some details about Hocus Pocus 2.
Disney D23 Magazine
The Henderson sisters graced the covers of the D23 magazine for its August issue. The sisters were featured in two cover photos, with the first image showing the caped sisters looking at the moon.
The second image shows the sisters in the middle of a dance.
Nostalgic Hocus Pocus Images
In August 2022, we got to see more photos from Hocus Pocus 2, thanks to the posts of the Instagram account Hocus Pocus Guide. In the posts, we saw the Sanderson sisters scheming once more around their spellbook.
We also saw caught a glimpse of the young Sandersons. The photos also showed us the Sanderson sisters’ newest targets, Cassie and Izzy.
More Hocus Pocus Sequels in the Future
In an interview with SFX magazine, Hocus Pocus 2 director Anne Fletcher spoke about the possibility of more sequels in the future.
Hocus Pocus 2 Fan Art Contest
Hocus Pocus 2 hosted an art contest for its fans. All fans are invited to post a photo of their Hocus Pocus-inspired art with the hashtag #HocusPocus2Contest for a chance to win 2 tickets to the premiere. A reminder for the last day of the competition was posted on the show’s official Twitter page.
10 Reasons to Watch Hocus Pocus 2
The day to watch Hocus Pocus 2 is drawing nearer. The Sanderson sisters give us the top 10 reasons to watch Hocus Pocus 2 as if we needed any convincing.
It’s the First Day of Fall
Fall is here, and so are the sisters.
How to be Ravishing
Hocus Pocus 2 is almost streaming, so it’s time to do your best to look ravishing with proper skin care.
Hocus Pocus 2 Trailer: Is There a Trailer for Hocus Pocus 2?
Yes, Hocus Pocus 2 does have a teaser trailer. The teaser trailer was released on June 28, 2022. In the teaser, we meet Becca and her friends, Izzy and Cassie. For Becca’s 16th birthday, they perform a fun spell that accidentally wakes up the Sanderson sisters. Watch the full teaser trailer here:
Hocus Pocus 2 Official Trailer
The official trailer for Hocus Pocus 2 was released during the 2022 D23 Expo. In the full trailer, we see the Sanderson sisters wreak havoc around Salem as they take their revenge. We also see a good zombie emerge from beyond the grave, but is he really good?
Hocus Pocus Clip
On September 15, just a half-month away before the Hocus Pocus sequel premieres, Disney shared a clip of the Sanderson sisters looking for their broomies. We see Winifred grab a traditional broom, but it seems Mary and Sarah have opted to upgrade theirs, with Sarah going for a modern mop and Mary riding on two Roombas.
Hocus Pocus Easter Eggs
The Hocus Pocus 2 trailer has a lot of Easter Eggs that hark back to the original movie. We see the black cat, the Black Flame Candle, and the Magic book with the winking eye. We even see the same facade when the video showed the high school building in Salem.
Hocus Pocus 2 Trailer Reaction
The main cast of Hocus Pocus 2 watched the trailer of the film together when it first came out. You can see their reactions when they first saw the video here:
The spellbinding Hocus Pocus 2 trailer racked up big numbers for Disney+, earning almost 44 million views within the 24 hours after its release. The hashtag #HocusPocus also topped the trends in Twitter the following day.
Where to Watch Hocus Pocus 2: Where Can I Watch the Film?
You can watch Hocus Pocus 2 on Disney+ once it comes out on September 30, 2022. You can also watch the first Hocus Pocus film on Disney+. There are many spooky fiction movies and shows coming out this Halloween season, like Wednesday, Wendell & Wild, and The Midnight Club. You can also watch other shows while waiting for the spooky season to come, like The Witcher, The Stranger Things, Resident Evil, and Boo, Bitch.
Hocus Pocus became a cult favorite throughout the years, with the movie gaining even more fans each year whenever Halloween season comes around. Hocus Pocus 2 will surely be another Halloween hit that we will keep rewatching time and time again.
