Another witching hour is upon us. Months after sources told Varietythat a follow-up to 1993’s Hocus Pocus was officially brewing at Disney+, the movie is confirmed—and creeping toward a 2022 release
date. Disney recently announced that Hocus Pocus 2, a “spooky sequel” to the original film, would be flying to Disney+, with Anne Fletcher attached to direct.
Coming exclusively to @DisneyPlus is Hocus Pocus 2, the spooky sequel to the 1993 Halloween classic! @AdamMShankman is set to direct.
— Disney (@Disney) December 10, 2020
Below, everything we know about the spellbinding news, including which Sanderson sisters are set to return.
The sequel has a new director.
Adam Shankman, the director behind films including Hairspray and A Walk to Remember, was originally signed to helm the movie with a script from Workaholics writer and co-producer Jen D’Angelo, and before Shankman, Kenny Ortega of High School Musical notoriety was attached. Now, Fletcher will take the wheel due to Shankman's scheduling conflicts with production on another Disney sequel, Disenchanted.
“As heartbroken as I am that I won’t be able to direct my friends Bette, Sarah Jessica, and Kathy in what is sure to be nothing short of a major event for Disney+, due to scheduling conflicts, I couldn’t be more pleased to be handing over the reins to Anne, who has brought so much laughter and joy into people’s lives with her previous work,” Shankman said of the news.
Fletcher is best known for directing 27 Dresses, The Proposal, and Dumplin’.“I am so grateful to be able to play a part in bringing these witches back to life, and to be working with my friends at Disney again makes it all the more special," Fletcher said of the news.
The film will premiere exclusively on Disney+.
Rather than take the traditional theatrical route, the Hocus Pocus sequel will premiere on Disney's streaming service. It joins projects such as the Star Wars spin-offThe Mandalorian and MCU series Wandavisionas original projects on the streamer.
The original cast is making a comeback.
In a May 2020 interview on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy, Sarah Jessica Parker gave an update on the sequel—and her co-stars’ involvement in it. “Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and I are all very hospitable to the idea,” she responded. “I think for a long time, people were talking about it as if people were moving forward with it in a real way but we were unaware of it.” She added, “We’ve agreed publicly to the right people, yes, that would be a very, very fun idea, so we'll see what the future holds.”
This isn't the first time SJP has teased her role in the sequel. In October 2019, The New York Timesreported that a sequel was in the works with Disney+. Around the same time, Parker shared a throwback photo of her cast members during the original film. In the comments section she was asked, “any chance of a sequel?” to which she responded, “We have all said yes. Now we wait.”
In May 2021, Disney officially confirmed all three original witches would be reprising their roles for the sequel. Production begins this fall—just in time for Halloween.
There was another reboot in development before.
Fans may remember that a TV movie remake of the beloved film was in development in 2017, with Scarlett Lacey (The Royals) writing the script.
However, that project never materialized following comments Midler made to Peopleabout the movie being “cheap” and Ortega’s insistence that the original trio should return instead. “I think it would be much more fun to bring the ladies back,” the director told Entertainment Tonight. “They’re all still vital and in their prime and capable of doing so much that it would be great to see Bette and Kathy and Sarah come back together to do another movie and I think they would like to.”
There’s no exact release date announced yet—but we know the season.
Hocus Pocus loyalists may only have to endure one more Halloween without the sequel. According to an Instagram post from Parker, Hocus Pocus 2 is set to arrive in “Fall 2022.” Let’s cross our fingers the magic appears in time for All Hallows’ Eve.