It’s been 27 years since the original cult-classic Hocus Pocus, and chances are you’ve watched it every October since then.
With the inception of Disney+ last year, speculation was at an all-time high that a second film was in the works and in October 2019, it was revealed by Collider that Jen D’Angelo, who served as a writer and co-producer on Workaholics had joined the project.
And now, a director has been confirmed — Adam Shankman.
Currently, in pre-production for the sequel to Disney’s Enchanted, Disenchanted (which is exciting in itself) — it’s yet to be confirmed which film will be in the works first.
There’s no word on whether the original cast members including Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy will star as the Sanderson sisters, nor if Thora Birch would return as Dani, Omri Katz as Max or Vinessa Shaw as Allison.
In an interview in November last year, Middler (who played the eldest sister Winifred) was asked by Entertainment Tonight if she would potentially be involved while attending the annual Hulaween gala in New York City.
“Oh my goodness me. Oh, I hope they get to me before I’m a corpse,” The Divine Miss M said at the event.
“We wanna fly again. I hope Disney+ is a big success and I hope we get to do it, because [Winifred] is of course one of my favorite characters…. I can’t wait to read the script. We’re gonna see what happens.” she added.
“I mean she’s, in the zeitgeist,” Midler explained further. “I have met people — I’ve met grownup people, like 40-year-olds, 50-year-olds — who say, ‘Oh I remember that! Hocus Pocus! I was brought up on that.’ It’s so mortifying ’cause I still look 35.”
Referring to her co-stars Parker and Najimy, Midler revealed that when the trio gets together they talk about a sequel.
“We laugh, we say, ‘Oh, wouldn’t it be great if?’ Because all of us had pretty much the same experience on it.”
Najimy, who was also at the event, shared the same sentiment as her co-star.
“But here’s the honest answer: Sarah and Bette and I all have a million projects and things that we’re into, so I don’t know if they’re gonna offer us [roles]. I don’t know if the worlds are going to collide so that we could all three do it at the same time.”
“But I’m happy that it’s happening because the fans are really rabid and they really want it,” she added with a smile. “[And] if we’re not all available to star in it, I think it would be so great to do a cameo. I think that’d be really fun.”
The third “Sanderson Sister”, Parker, was also in, responding to a fan question (and captured by Instagram account Comments By Celebs) on a photo she posted of the original film.
“Any chance of a sequel?!” the fan asked.
“We have all said yes. Now we wait. X” she responded.
While the sequel is definitely happening, it’s unclear what the storyline will be.
But if Disney needs any ideas, here’s my pitch:
“Allison and Max are now married with two teenage children. When the couple goes away for work, they send the kids to stay with their Aunt Dani who still lives in the same house in Salem, Massachusetts.
“Of course the old Sanderson house museum still stands and when the eldest child (a misfit virgin) decides to reignite the black flame candle, the Sanderson Sisters are brought back to life and chaos ensues.”
Disney, you’re welcome.
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