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In between nonstop plays of 1993’s Hocus Pocus over the Halloween season, this question arises again: are we ever going to see a sequel? It’s a conversation that has cycled through the headlines from one spooky season to another for over five years. But since last year’s pumpkin month, Hocus Pocus 2 has made a ton of progress. The Disney+ title nabbed Hairspray’s Adam Shankman as its director, and now we go to the famed Sanderson sisters. Here’s what Sarah Jessica Parker just provided as an update:
I think that it is something Bette Midler, Kathy [Najimy] and I are all very hospitable to the idea. I think for a long time, people were talking about it as if people were moving forward with it in a real way but we were unaware of it. But I think now we’ve gotten to the point where we've agreed publicly to the right people ‘Yes, that would be a very, very fun idea,’ so we'll see what the future holds.
Back in 2019. Sarah Jessica Parker confirmed that she, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy had signed on to Hocus Pocus 2, topping it off with “now we wait.” The Disney+ film is being written by Workaholics’ Jen D’Angelo and produced by The Notebook and The Shallows’ Lynn Harris. All other details about the sequel are under wraps, but the film’s all-grown-up Dani, Thora Birch, shared that she has been looped into the stories in development over the years.
The 1993 Halloween-set family film was initially a flop for Disney, but it could have had something to do with its July release date during Jurassic Park’s reign in theaters. In recent years, Hocus Pocus has become a huge hit on home video and during Freeform’s "31 Nights of Halloween" television event.
Sarah Jessica Parker has admitted to only seeing Hocus Pocus once and doesn’t particularly remember the plot of the film, but she has fond memories of making it. Other iterations of Disney’s return to Hocus Pocus in the past included a completely new cast and a script by Tina Fey for Disney Channel – an idea Bette Midler was vocally opposed to.
In 2018, some of the young cast reunited for the film's 25th anniversary for Freeform, and everyone is seriously an adult now! We’ll have to see if Disney brings back the entire cast of Hocus Pocus or if a new group of kids will accompany the Sanderson Sisters.
Adam Shankman is also signed on to direct the long-awaited Enchanted sequel, Disenchanted, for Disney, which Alan Menken is currently writing the music for ahead of production. Hocus Pocus is one of many nostalgic properties coming to Disney+ (you can sign up for a free 7-day trial), and feel free to run amuck on CinemaBlend for more exciting House of Mouse news.
