Bette Midler says original ‘Hocus Pocus’ cast members want to return for sequel
"They’ve asked us if we were interested, and, of course, all of us said yes."
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The Sanderson sisters could once again be putting a spell on you in the near future.
“Hocus Pocus,” the beloved 1993 Halloween comedy set and filmed in Salem and surrounding towns, will reportedly have a sequel coming to Disney+. While initial reports said that the original film’s witchy Sanderson sisters — played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy — would not be involved, Midler now suggests otherwise.
In an interview posted Oct. 21 on Fox 5’s “Good Day New York,” Midler said that all three actresses want to return for the sequel.
“They’ve asked us if we were interested, and, of course, all of us said yes,” Midler said. “I’m game. I’m totally game.”
“Hocus Pocus,” which follows three ancient witches who are magically transported to modern-day Salem and the kids who must fight them off, was only a modest hit during its 1993 theatrical release. But through home video and repeat cable viewings, the film became a Halloween classic.
Disney had originally planned to reboot “Hocus Pocus” rather than making a sequel. With the change in plans, Variety reported in March that Disney was hopeful that the Sanderson sisters would “become involved in some capacity” playing their original characters.
Representatives for Disney+ did not respond to a request for comment by the time of this article’s publication.
“Hocus Pocus 2” will reportedly be directed by Adam Shankman, whose background helming musical movies like “Hairspray” and “Step Up” makes musical numbers like the original’s “I Put a Spell on You” all the more likely.
As of now, there is no information on when the film will be in production or when it will be released.
Audiences won’t have to wait too long to see the Sanderson sisters reunited, however. Midler, Parker, and Najimy will reunite at 8 p.m. Friday on Zoom for “Hulaween,” an annual fundraiser benefitting New York Restoration Project, Midler’s nonprofit dedicated to creating and preserving open green spaces for public use in New York City.
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