Bette Midler is about to put a spell on fans.
Almost a month after Freeform first announced its Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash, Winifred Sanderson herself, actress Bette Midler, has confirmed that she will be joining the anniversary special, set to air on the network on Saturday, Oct. 20.
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JUST ANNOUNCED: @BetteMidler joins @KathyNajimy and Sarah Jessica Parker (@SJP) for our #HocusPocus25thAnniversary Halloween Bash.
We’ll see you this Saturday, October 20, at 8:15pm/7:15c on @FreeformTV. pic.twitter.com/7iv15HGqkr
— 31 Nights (@31Nights) October 18, 2018
“Wait, wait a minute,” Midler said in a video confirming the news, speaking in the voice of her Hocus Pocus counterpart. “What’s a Sanderson sister celebration without Winifred?”
Midler will be joining her witchy sisters – Sarah Jessica Parker (Sarah Sanderson) and Kathy Namijay (Mary Sanderson) – along with several other cast members, including Thora Birch (Dani) and Doug Jones (Billy Butcherson) for the 90-minute special.
The actress, who has been sharing snapshots from the cult-classic 1993 film all month on Instagram, took to Twitter following the announcement to share the original trailer.
#Throwback25YEARS!! That’s a pretty long throwback, but I remember every crazy minute!! The Anniversary Special is on Freeform this Saturday night… pic.twitter.com/uiucnml8Ys
— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) October 18, 2018
Hosted by Vanessa Hudgens and Jordan Fisher, the special, part of Freeform‘s 31 Nights of Halloween lineup, will also feature a Hocus Pocus-themed costume contest judged by Sharon Osbourne and Kelly Osbourne and musical performances by Dove Cameron, PrettyMuch, and Junior New System. It will be preceded and followed by a “Pop’n Knowledge” edition of the film.
While Midler is on board for the Freeform reunion, she is yelling “amuck” when it comes to the news that broke last year that Disney Channel was developing a remake of the cult classic.
“I know it’s cheap. It’s going to be cheap!” she said of the remake. I’m not sure what they’re going to do with my character. My character is very, very broad and I don’t know who they’re going to find to play that.”
Midler also made clear that she would not be jumping back on the broomstick for a “reimagining” of the original film, stating “No, no, no!”
Given that it is the season of the Black Flame Candle, Freeform will be airing Hocus Pocus a number of times throughout the remainder of the month, concluding its 31 Nights of Halloween schedule on Oct. 31 with an all-day marathon of the film. Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash premieres Saturday, Oct. 20 at 8:15 p.m. ET.
