The Sanderson Sisters are plotting their return to Salem nearly thirty years after the release of the original Hocus Pocus, and we couldn’t be more excited to see them run amuck, amuck, amuck again for the sequel! Yes, Bette Midler’s Winifred, Sarah Jessica Parker’s Sarah and Kathy Najimy’s Mary have been reunited,go and as one source spotted on the set of the film, the movie is staying practical with how the flying is filmed on set.
These days, CGI has become the primary way action in movies are shot. Oftentimes it's less expensive and easier for a production to complete its vision on a computer screen than come up with creative ways to do it through building sets, mechanisms and such. The production for Hocus Pocus 2 has been underway in Rhode Island since last month, and ScreenRant’s Robert Peterpaul snapped a photo that reveals that the Sanderson sisters are filming their flying scenes in a cool and practical way.
How Hocus Pocus 2 Is Filming Its Flying Scenes
The set photo shows a large truck that has three mechanical poles lodged on the front with somewhat of a seat for the actors to stay put as they fly their brooms! The truck is completely blue screen except for the poles that will act as their brooms. While ScreenRant was on the set, a crew member confirmed that the three seats with poles are meant for the three Sanderson Sisters (played by Midler, Parker and Najimy), who will be able to “fly” through the air at a controlled speed on the top of the blue screen truck.
This is exciting because these days, it’s not necessarily typical for practical elements to be involved in every production. Plus, the actors behind the Sanderson Sisters are massive stars and not as young as they used to be. We wouldn’t expect them to get on the top of a moving truck. But, 75-year-old Bette Midler, 56-year-old Sarah Jessica Parker and 64-year-old Kathy Najimy are capable actresses that look to be going all in on reprising their iconic roles.
How The Original Hocus Pocus Filmed Its Flying Scenes
As we look forward to Hocus Pocus 2, let’s check back on how the Sanderson Sisters filmed those flying scenes in the early ‘90s. Wires were used to suspend the actors in the air, which would sometimes leave them hanging in the air “for hours,” according to Kathy Najimy. Bette Midler and Najimy have spoken on it before, with Midler calling the experience on the wires “one of the greatest joys” she’d ever experienced as an actor. She described it as a dance, but also a bit of a struggle not to be “turned upside down.”
We cannot wait to see how the finished Hocus Pocus 2 turns out! Of course, that’ll have to wait until Halloween season 2022, when it premieres on Disney+.
