Get your cauldrons, spell books and broomsticks (or vacuum cleaners) ready, because the long awaited sequel to Hocus Pocus is coming to Disney+ next fall!

30+ Years in the Making
Since its release in August (yes you read that right) in 1993, Hocus Pocus has remained a cult classic for fans of Disney and Halloween alike.  Given that it was originally meant to be a Disney Channel original film, but managed to get a theatrical release has always given in something of an underdog quality.

The idea for a sequel has existed in hopeful rumors for decades, with the most recent plan being a Freeform special, albeit without the original cast.  However the news first broke last year that a sequel was coming and from the Twitter accounts of both Disney+ and Bette Midler, it was officially announced today that Hocus Pocus 2 would be coming in Fall 2022, most likely just in time for Halloween.

Getting the Coven Back Together
Per the film’s IMDB page, all three Sanderson sisters, Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker, are set to reprise their roles.  Both Doug Jones (Billy) and Thora Birch (Dani) have stated they’d be up for reprising their roles as well, but nothing is known about whether the story will feature their characters.

While not much is known plotwise, the 30 year age difference can probably be easily explained for those who remembered that the Sandersons usually wake up much older and required feasting on children to maintain their youth.

That said, we can probably expect that this sequel won’t lean in so heavily on the whole virgin aspect that the original Hocus Pocus seemed obsessed with, to a legitimately disturbing extent.

Behind the Camera
In the director’s chair will be Anne Fletcher, who is best known for directing other comedies like Hot Pursuit, The Proposal, 27 Dresses, and the 2006 dance movie Step Up, which somehow launched an entire franchise.  Given her resume, it’s clear that Fletcher knows what she’s doing in this genre, but following up a beloved classic is no easy task.

The screenplay is being penned by actress/writer Jen D’Angelo, who was only 5 years old when the original Hocus Pocus was released!  She’s best known for writing sitcom episodes of Young Rock, Happy Together, LA to Vegas, and Workaholics.

On a more personal note, I grew up watching Hocus Pocus, and it remains an October classic that I revisit every year.  It will be a lot of fun to share it now with my own children.  That said, this project could very easily steer into cheap cash grab territory, which Disney is kind of known for with their sequels to classic movies.
We’ll all just have to wait until Fall 2022 to see if this sequel has merit or if it’s all truly just a bunch of hocus pocus…

What are your thoughts on Hocus Pocus 2?  Do you think it will live up to the original?  Let us know in the comments!

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