See The Best Look At Hocus Pocus 2 In New Video
A new behind-the-scenes featurette has been released, which shows the best look at Hocus Pocus 2.
A new featurette of the upcoming Disney+ film Hocus Pocus 2 has been released online. The new footage offers glimpses of the supernatural comedy and includes an interview with returning actress Bette Midler. The actress said the dynamic between herself, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker “was exactly the same as it was 30 years ago.”
Hocus Pocus 2 follows the original 1993 film. Twenty-nine years after someone lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the 17th-century sisters, the trio is back for another supernatural adventure. The story centers on high school students looking to stop the trio from causing havoc on Salem before Hallow’s Eve.
The sequel is directed by Anne Fletcher, who previously directed the 2008 comedy 27 Dresses and 2012’s The Guilt Trip. The first full trailer for Hocus Pocus 2 debuted during Disney’s D23 Expo. Interestingly, Disney hired Fletcher to direct the upcoming Disney+ film Disenchanted; however, she was replaced by her friend Adam Shakman.
The first Hocus Pocus film received mixed reviews from critics at the time of its release. Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun initially gave the film a one-star review and described it as a “confusing cauldron” with “little progress.” On Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently holds a rating of 39% based on 57 reviews.
Disney announced the development of Hocus Pocus 2 in 2019. Shortly after the announcement, the original three actresses who played the Sanderson sisters in the first film confirmed their interest in reprising their roles. Disney later announced that the sequel would premiere on their Disney+ streaming service.
Recent images of Hocus Pocus 2 revealed the three Sanderson sisters as children. The children are played by Nina Kitchen, Taylor Henderson, and Juju Journey Brener. It’s unclear how many flashbacks will be in the film or how much screen time the Sanderson sisters will have as children.
In addition to Hocus Pocus 2 being a thing, there’s also the rumored Hocus Pocus spin-off series coming to Disney+. According to a report from Comic Book Resources, the original creator, David Kirschner, apparently has some ideas for a series that would be less “Disney channel” and akin more to a Buffy the Vampire Slayer type show. The series would be darker and explore more of the underworld hinted at in the original film.
As of this writing, there’s no confirmation on a Hocus Pocus spin-off series. Still, it does fit in what appears to be Disney’s strategy for filling its streaming service with as many recognizable IPs as possible. The success of Hocus Pocus 2 will undoubtedly motivate the studio executives about whether they want to move forward with the property.
So far, all we know is that Hocus Pocus 2 is premiering at a good time. While it would’ve been terrific to have the film premiere on Halloween, its September 30th release date puts it in striking distance. The only competition it may have to worry about is Marvel’s Werewolf by Night which airs on the streamer a week afterward. Hopefully, fans would have already gotten their fill of Hocus Pocus.
