Hocus Pocus 2, the sequel to the beloved Halloween-themed film, has officially started production according to a news release from Disney.
Hocus Pocus 2 was first announced earlier this year, and the series is scheduled to exclusively hit Disney Plus in Fall 2022, conceivably around Halloween. The original Hocus Pocus took place in Salem, and focuses on a young man named Max Dennison who just moved to the city. Max struggles to fit in with his new surroundings, and his life gets thrown for an even bigger loop when he inadvertently resurrects a trio of witches. Hocus Pocus 2 seems to sport a similar story structure, so here’s the official description of the sequel.
“It’s been 29 years since someone lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the 17th-century sisters who were executed for practicing witchcraft, and they are looking for revenge. Now it is up to three high-school students to figure out how to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before midnight on All Hallow’s Eve.”
Bette Midler (The First Wives Club), Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City), and Kathy Najimy (Sister Act) will reprise their iconic roles from the 1993 film as Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson. Alongside the trio, Doug Jones (What We Do In the Shadows) will also reprise his role as Billy Butherson. The returning actors will be joined by Whitney Peak (Gossip Girl, Molly’s Game) as Becca, Lilia Buckingham (Dirt, Crown Lake) as Cassie, and Belissa Escobedo (American Horror Stories, The Baker and the Beauty) as Izzy.
The sequel is directed by Anne Fletcher (Dumplin, The Proposal), who commented on the news by saying “Fans around the world have embraced these characters and have made this film a Halloween tradition whose popularity continues to grow, and how lucky am I to be back at Disney with these three extraordinarily talented ladies in the iconic roles they created, as well as our fabulous new additions to the cast?”
