'Tis time, sisters! Hocus Pocus 2 release date has officially been revealed!
It's hard to believe that it's been 29 years since the original Hocus Pocus film came out. If you've been born in the 80s or early 90s, you'll likely remember the Sanderson sisters and how they haunted during Halloween.
As a kid, you may have been scared of the thought of the sisters coming back to life and sucking your soul out of your body (this writer here has!). So when it was announced that the movie would be coming back for a second part, it was definitely a treat for both Gen Z and Millennials.
But when will Hocus Pocus 2 be released? Read on for more information.
Hocus Pocus 2 Sequel Announcement
Rumors of a Hocus Pocus sequel or remake have circulated online since 2014. And ever since then, the Sanderson sisters (Bette Midler (as Winifred Sanderson), Kathy Najimy (as Mary Sanderson), and Sarah Jessica Parker (as Sarah Sanderson)) have been open to reprising their roles. But it wasn't until October 2019 when Disney officially announced that they were in the process of developing a sequel to the movie.
A year later, Disney+ confirmed that the original Sanderson sisters will be back for their roles. It was also revealed in the tweet that Hocus Pocus 2 won't be released in theaters but on the streaming service in fall 2022.
Hocus Pocus 2 Release Date
When the original movie came out, Disney apparently lost around $16 million on the film. It did not do well in cinemas during its launch. But over time, the film became a cult classic and turned into a favorite movie to watch every Halloween. Part of it is because of its family-friendly genre, which makes the perfect movie to watch for non-gore fans.
So when will Hocus Pocus 2 come out on Disney+? The answer is: September 30, 2022. And as the date starts getting closer, Disney has partnered with Kellogg's for a special treat.
Kellogg's will be releasing a special Hocus Pocus 2-themed cereal that comes in mixed berry flavors. They will also be star-shaped cereal pieces colored purple, orange, and yellow with flecks of green and purple. The cereal will be available for a limited time in anticipation of the sequel's release in September.
Hocus Pocus 2 Cast: Who's Back?
At this point, we already know that the original Sanderson sisters will be back to reprise their iconic roles. Bette Midler made the announcement on Instagram by sharing a photo of the triad in full costume and makeup. After all, it wouldn't be Hocus Pocus without the three of them reuniting for the sequel.
Unfortunately, we won't get to see Thora Birch reprise her role as Dani Dennison. That's because she had scheduling conflicts that forced her to decline a role in the sequel.
Prior to this, Birch had been ecstatic at the idea of returning for the sequel. She told HollywoodLife in February 2020 that she would return "if they would have me. They've been talking about this reboot for five years. I'm excited to see what it all looks like. I know a little bit about a couple of ideas for stories, but I don't know where it's all going to fall at the end of the day."
It was confirmed in March 2022 that she won't be making a cameo despite getting an invite to return. Birch told ComicBook.com: "Everybody tried so hard. Everybody tried so hard to make that happen and it just didn't, but everybody tried so hard. That was everybody's intention. But you know what? At the end of the day, just between you and I, I'd probably rather play Winifred in the future. I'd probably rather play Winnie."
We still haven't heard a confirmation if Omri Katz and Vinessa Shaw will be returning as Max and Allison. Earlier this year, Katz said: "You know, talking to a lot of fans today, people are obviously really disappointed that we're not involved. But, I could be lying. We're all in it! No, maybe we're not. Maybe we are!"
We won't also expect to see Larry Bagby (as Ice), Tobias Jelinek (as Jay), or Jason Marsdan (as Thackery Binx). The trailer shows a different black cat, which looks younger than the original one used in the film.
As for the new characters that we're excited to see in the sequel, the trailer shows us that Sam Richardson will be in the film as the owner of the Olde Salem Magic Shoppe, which is the previous home of the Sanderson sisters. The other new characters include:
- Doug Jones (as Billy Butcherson)
- Hannah Waddingham (as The Witch)
- Froy Gutierrez
- Tony Hale (as Jefry Traske)
- Whitney Peak (as Becca)
- Lilia Buckingham (as Cassie Traske)
- Belissa Escobedo (as Izzy)
- Taylor Paige Henderson (as young Winifred Sanderson)
- Juju Journey Brener (as young Sarah Sanderson)
- Nina Kitchen (as young Mary Sanderson)
In August 2022, it was reported that Doug Jones will be returning to reprise his role. Sequel director Anne Fletcher said to Collider that his return is "surreal."
"It does something to your soul, it's so surreal, it's so mind-blowing. He's in a moment of betrayal [in the scene], so you're looking at this beloved character in such a way who's been hurt, and it blows your socks off. I'll never forget that."
Hocus Pocus 2 Plot: What Will It Be About?
The first plot details of Hocus Pocus 2 were revealed in May 2021: "Three young women accidentally bring the Sanderson Sisters back to modern-day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on the world."
There was a book sequel released in 2018 that focused on the relationship of Max and Allison. The book reveals that the two have a daughter named Poppy. In order to impress her crush, Isabella, Poppy sneaks into the Sanderson house together with her friend Travis. They do some incantation on a blood moon and accidentally bring back the sisters to life.
It's unclear whether this is the storyline that the Hocus Pocus 2 sequel will go with. But based on the teaser, the names of the teenagers are different so it might not be the case.
Hocus Pocus 2 Pictures
With the movie release coming closer, Disney has released new stills from scenes of the movie. This is also our first time to see Lilia Buckingham (as Cassie) and Belissa Escobedo (as Izzy) in their roles. The two are inside the old Sanderson sisters' home.
There's also an image of the young versions of the Sanderson sisters. The roles are played out by Taylor Paige Henderson as young Winifred Sanderson, Juju Journey Brener as young Sarah Sanderson, and Nina Kitchen as young Mary Sanderson.
The third photo shows the Sanderson sisters themselves concocting a potion with their beloved spellbook. Check out those Sanderson Sister t-shirts on the table. We're guessing these will be sold later on.
Is There a Hocus Pocus 2 Trailer Online?
In June, Disney released the first trailer for the film. Within the first 24 hours of its release, the trailer already racked in over 40 million views. This is quite a big surprise for a movie that didn't fare enough as Star Wars films, The Mandalorian or The Book of Boba Fett. Considering the original film wasn't regarded as a success, the sequel may just prove otherwise.
The Hocus Pocus 2 trailer teased fans of the Sanderson sisters' return as well as the Black Flame Candle and the otherwise iconic book, The Manual of Witchcraft and Alchemy that was given to Winifred Sanderson (played by Bette Midler) by the Devil himself.
The trailer doesn't give much detail about the story, except that there's some mention of a legend where a witch gets her powers on her 16th birthday. But there's not much information about that yet.
The clip also reveals the message: "This Halloween Season, some legends never die." And indeed, the trio have become a phenomenal success to the franchise.
While we wait for Hocus Pocus 2 to be released, you can catch the trailer here. We're expecting a second trailer to be released just before the movie premieres.
You can also watch the reaction of the Sanderson sisters as they watch the trailer here:
An official Hocus Pocus 2 trailer was released by Disney during its D23 event held in September 10th. You can watch the trailer here:
RELATED: The Final Season of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Gets a Spooky New Trailer
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!