Disney Gave Hocus Pocus Fans A Great Surprise On Halloween
It's been 28 years since "Hocus Pocus" delivered some creepy fun for audiences. The movie follows Max Dennison (Omri Katz) who accidentally resurrects three nefarious witches on Halloween. Although the film wasn't hugely successful back in 1993 — and it still holds a woeful 38% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes — it became a cult classic over the years largely due to the horrific fun of the Sanderson sisters. So when it was finally announced that "Hocus Pocus 2" is in the works, fans were incredibly excited to see how the story might pick up after the first film.
Don't worry — Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy are all returning to play the iconic Sanderson sisters. The trio of witches aren't the only returning cast members from the original film, as Doug Jones is also set to reprise his role as Billy "the Butcher" Butcherson. Fans will remember that Butcherson is Winifred's (Bette Midler) ex-flame before he was brought back to life as a zombie. Jones' career has excelled since 1993, as he's played a variety of colorful characters in projects like "Hellboy," "Legion," "The Shape of Water," and "Star Trek: Discovery." Hopefully he'll get plenty to do in "Hocus Pocus 2."
Disney celebrated Halloween this year by giving "Hocus Pocus" fans a great surprise about the upcoming sequel.
New stars join Hocus Pocus 2
With "Hocus Pocus 2" currently in production, the studio recently announced a whole host of new stars who will appear alongside the original cast members. The sequel will arrive on Disney+ in 2022 and will feature Tony Hale, Sam Richardson, Hannah Waddingham, Whitney Peak, Lilia Buckingham, Belissa Escobedo, Juju Brener, Froy Guiterrez, Taylor Henderson, and Nina Kitchen.
There are a few prominent names in there as well as some fresh faces, but most audiences will instantly recognize Tony Hale from "Arrested Development" as Buster Bluth. Sam Richardson is best known for playing the spectacular Richard Splett in "Veep" before also joining Chris Pratt in "The Tomorrow War."
"Ted Lasso" fans will be overjoyed to see Hannah Waddingham claim more of the spotlight, as her performance as Rebecca Welton was met with critical praise, earning her an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in 2021. Disney is clearly amassing a number of comedic performers to round out the cast of "Hocus Pocus 2," and it'll be interesting to see how director Anne Fletcher uses them all.