Film

Everyone Is Pumped Because The Original Sanderson Sisters Are Returning For ‘Hocus Pocus 2’

"Sistaaaahs! It’s been 300 years… But we’re BACK!”

by Merryana Salem  23 May 2021
hocus-pocus-2

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The Sanderson sisters are officially returning to Salem in Hocus Pocus 2.

28 years after the 1993 classic, Disney has announced that Bette Midler (Winifred Sanderson), Sarah Jessica Parker (Sarah Sanderson) and Kathy Najimy (Mary Sanderson) will reprise their roles for a Hocus Pocus sequel.

The official announcement came via Bette Midler on Twitter. The icon tweeted, “Sistaaaahs! It’s been 300 years… But we’re BACK!”

Middler’s wicked on-screen sisters also announced their involvement via social media. Parker shared a message on her Instagram, writing, “Yep. I’m ready. To run. Amok, amok, amok, amok. #HocusPocus2 arrives Fall 2022 on @disneyplus Sisters??? X, SJ.” Kathy Najamy wrote in her Instagram post, “The people have spoken: I smell children…again.”

Plans for a sequel to Hocus Pocus were launched back in 2019. As of May 2021, The Hocus Pocus sequel is officially set for a Spring, 2022 release on Disney Plus.

Apart from the original Sanderson Sisters’ return we also have an early synopsis via Deadline. The synopsis reads, “In Hocus Pocus 2, 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.”

Anne Fletcher, whose credits include The Proposal and 27 Dresses, will take over directing duties from Adam Shankman. Shankman was originally set to direct the Hocus Pocus sequel but stepped down due to scheduling conflicts with his directorial role on the Enchanted 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+,” he said, “I couldn’t be more pleased to be handing over the reins to Anne.”

The original Hocus Pocus is a beloved Halloween classic, ranking with the likes of Halloween Town, Beetlejuice, Casper and Edward Scissorhands. Despite my ever-growing sequel cynicism, childhood nostalgia may get the better of me on this one.